


The Interview

by varelse



Category: Actor RPF, British Actor RPF, Real Person Fiction, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Bathroom Sex, Delayed Orgasm, Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, First Time Together, Romance, Semi-Public Sex, Smut, Tom's POV, a day in the life, bit of angst, more smut, smut smut smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-04-13 12:14:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 28,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4521531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/varelse/pseuds/varelse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A sequel of sorts to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/3322640">After Party</a>.</p></blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A sequel of sorts to [After Party](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3322640).

I hate waiting. Well, I don't hate it when I'm working, because acting involves a _lot_ of waiting, but I dislike sitting still and not being able to get anything going for fear of missing something important. Lyekka always teased me about being a bit twitchy - she was much better than I was at doing nothing, or at least at being still - but I couldn't help it, at least not this time. To top it off, it was Saturday, which made it slightly worse.

I'd been expecting a call from Luke, my publicist, for most of the day. He'd been hard at work making arrangements with ELLE UK to conduct an exclusive interview with Lyekka and I, our first one together. I looked forward to it, but also dreaded it a bit. The setup was Luke's idea to address some of the more outrageous press that had materialized in the aftermath of a mad few days of partying with Lyekka during and after the BAFTA Awards weekend - and my birthday. 

What set my teeth on edge was irrational, but Lyekka sometimes shot her mouth off when annoyed, and I wasn't sure how she'd react to being interviewed alongside me. Luke was to lay down some pretty strict ground rules with the interviewer, and although I really had no reason to not trust Lyekka, the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach had established permanent residence in the last couple of days.

As per our custom, she and I hadn't been in touch since we went our separate ways the day after my birthday. If we were both working, which was usually the case, it just became too distracting. Factor in time differences, her chaotic sleeping patterns - or lack thereof - and the workaholic nature she and I shared, and we just saw each other when we could and left it at that. It did add a lot of intensity to our time together, though, so neither one of us complained much.

The thing was, I had no idea how exhausted or grouchy she'd be after almost five weeks holed up in her lab, and little downtime before the interview. Guess I'd find out same time as everyone else.

\--------------------------------

"Tom! How are you, mate?"

Luke, finally. "Glad to hear from you - what's the scoop?"

"I managed to wedge you in for half a day at ELLE just before you start on _The Night Manager_. Now, Lee hasn't returned my calls, so it's possible that it's only you."

I frowned. "She said she'd do it - and, well, our anniversary is coming up, and she promised me she'd be here. Have you talked to Jenny?" Jenny was a senior writer at ELLE.

"Yeah, and we're good with the ground rules - but if Lee shows up, that'll change. I don't fancy her getting, er, impatient with nosy questions."

So I wasn't the only one. "Alright, I'll get a hold of her and get back to you. The date is still this Monday, the 16th?"

"Correct. I know it's a bit tight, with you fucking off to film in Switzerland on the 18th, but work with me and we'll get this over with."

"You know me - I'm all in!"

\---------------------------------

Even after the two years we'd been together, I sometimes wasn't sure what to make of Lyekka's more terse texts.

_{hi what :P}_

I replied, not knowing when she'd bother to acknowledge my messages.

*still up for that interview?*

*do you have a few minutes?*

*please call me*

She finally rang me back about three hours later. "Hi Tom! Sorry, I've been - um, it's been really busy and weird. How are you?"

Just hearing her voice made me smile, even though I was a bit cross with her. 

"I'm fine, Lyekka, thanks. I've been trying to get a hold of you forever! Remember that interview we're supposed to do? Luke's called you a million times and - "

"Do you want a coffee?"

I blinked and stared at my phone. "What?"

I heard her giggle and thank someone else, then: "Do...you...want...a...coffee?"

 _Fuck me sideways,_ she's at our favourite coffee house around the corner.

"Um, yeah, sure, please, and should I leave the door unlocked?"

"If you don't mind - see you in ten!"

\------------------------------

As fond as I was of Lyekka's proclivity for showing up unannounced, there were times I wished she'd give me a bit of advance notice. Like now - I shoved dirty plates and utensils into the dishwasher and straightened out the living room a bit. I was throwing a load of clothes into the washer when I heard the front door open and a crash of jettisoned bags hitting the foyer floor.

"Room service - Tom, I have your coffee!"

I walked out of the laundry room and embraced her from behind as she deposited the coffee shop cardboard tray on the kitchen counter.

"Hello, Lyekka!"

She spun around, a dazzling smile lighting up her face, and stood on tiptoe to kiss me, her arms snaking up around my shoulders.

"Hi, Tom! So good to see you!"

I held her close, breathing in her skin and basking in her body heat. "And you! Where have you been? Luke and I have been trying to get a hold of you for the past three days, wenchlet!"

"Well, when last he called, I was still in Berlin, and I figured I'd just hop a flight. I got your texts on my way to the airport."

"You could have mentioned you were on your way over, you know. The house is a mess…"

"Tsk! No it's not - and I wasn't sure I'd be able to get a flight anyway. Coffee?"

"Yes, please - ooh, pastries! But it's almost 18:00...would you prefer to snack now, or save them for dessert? I was about to make supper."

She pouted, bit her lip, and dropped one hand to my arse. "I thought _I_ was dessert…"

I held her chin between thumb and forefinger and bent down to kiss her. Her lip gloss tasted like peaches, and her tongue was as wicked as ever. 

"Mmmm...you're _my_ dessert, love...and you must be tired. I didn't want to presume…"

She pulled me down to her, hungry look, grey eyes dark, and we kissed for long, lovely minutes. 

"Now that we've established what's for dessert, what's for supper?"

"Ehehehehe - nothing fancy, a grilled chicken Caesar salad. Is that okay?"

"It's perfect!"

\------------------------------

After supper, I called Luke to let him know Lyekka had given sign of life - and then some. He was annoyed for about ten seconds, then got over it.

"Lee, I've carved out half a day at ELLE UK on Monday. We don't have any slack on the time, what with Tom leaving for his next shoot. Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah, no problem - I'm off to Montreal next, leaving London on Wednesday." She glanced at me significantly. "It's the day before our anniversary, which we're both going to be out of town for, but hey."

I rolled my eyes at her and my phone. "Well, we're all here _now_ , so, um, that's not a problem. Is it?" I tapped the table next to her hand.

She smiled. "No, it's not. Luke, what's the scoop on the rules?"

"For starters, no unduly personal questions. No nosy enquiries about domestic life, keep it general. What you do in private, strictly off the table. Your previous public appearances together, fair game, although I would, er, I wouldn't go into details of _that_ weekend. There's been enough speculation about it, and I'm not doing another round of damage control."

Lyekka shot me a sideways glance. "What? Don't pin this on me, Tom - you were there…!"

I squirmed. "Yeah, but…"

Luke cut in. "What Tom's too polite to say, Lee, is that you shoot your mouth off when you're exasperated. Statement of fact."

"And what _you're_ saying, Luke, is that neither one of you trusts me to keep a civil tongue. Nice." She got up from the table and rummaged through the pantry in search of who knew what. "So if I'm such a fucking liability, how about I don't do the interview at all and you don't bother me with shit like that in the future."

I squeezed my eyes shut. _Ouch._

She sat back down, a breakfast bar in hand, which she elaborately unwrapped next to the phone.

"I want the two of you to acknowledge that I could have made any number of prior situations infinitely worse by not behaving. I'm not an idiot, but evidently, _you_ are." She stood up and left the kitchen with her snack, leaving the wrapper behind.

Luke was at a loss. "Tom…"

I sighed audibly. "Let me call you back, yeah? She's not wrong, you know. And she does have a temper. And she's tired."

"Yeah, okay, fine. Sorry. I'll wait for your call."

Lyekka was sitting on the living room couch, contentedly munching on her breakfast bar. I sat next to her.

"Lyekka...look, I really want you to do this interview with me", I said hopefully. "It'll be fun! Like that scene in _Mr and Mrs Smith_ …"

She couldn't stifle a giggle. "Well, not that bad, I hope! I'm not pissed off, I'm just a bit frosted at Luke." She turned to face me. "I know what's on the line here - I'm not about to go off the reservation just to entertain myself. That would be...unprofessional, if nothing else!"

I took and kissed her hand. "I think he had a harder time than he lets on with the BAFTA weekend. We both made his job pretty nightmarish there for a few days…"

"Yeah...alright, let me call him back, smooth things over."

I followed her to the kitchen. Her call with Luke was very sweet, and he sounded hugely relieved. Apologies exchanged by everyone present and a few more details hashed out, she hung up and handed me back my phone with a grin.

"So! Now that that's settled, how about some make-up sex?"

I wrapped my arms around her. "Ehehehehe - we didn't fight, though, not really…"

She stood on tiptoe to whisper in my ear. "Oh, my Thomas...do we even need a reason?"

I licked my upper lip and smiled. "No. No, we don't."


	2. We Don't Need No Stinkin' Rehearsal

When I woke up the next morning, Lyekka was nowhere to be found. After spending a wonderful night getting, shall we say, reacquainted, I'd hoped she'd sleep in, but I wasn't surprised she was already up. I'd barely managed to make my way downstairs when I heard the front door open.

"Tooooom! Are you up - oh, there you are!" There she was, hideously perky, dressed in a nice pair of jeans, a light jacket, and a hot pink t-shirt, and carrying…

"Lyekka...is that coffee? Because I have a mighty need…"

She bounced into the kitchen and unwrapped her purchases. "Yep, coffee and munchies! Here's yours…" She handed me a tall, scorching hot cup. "...and mine!" I could smell the chocolate in hers from three feet away.

"Oh wow, thank you! I'm not even sure I'm awake right now…"

She shrugged off her jacket, wiggled out of her jeans and hugged me. "Good morning! Sorry I left - I was slept out and I didn't want to wake you up. It's almost lunchtime."

I took a sip of my coffee and smiled, eyes half closed, one arm around her. "Good morning, love...and it's okay, as long as you come back, with or without brunch…!"

She stole a kiss before plating the pastries she had bought, and put the plate between us on the kitchen bar. "Are these alright? I sort of got one of each, I'm pretty hungry!"

"Which one is chocolate?"

She laughed. "Okay, you got me, two of each of the really good ones." She pointed here and there. "These are dark chocolate."

I picked one up and took a huge bite. Delicious. "Oh yeah, this hits the spot - thank you, Lyekka! You always take such good care of me."

She leaned in and kissed the tip of my nose. "I like taking care of you. You make it easy."

We snacked in comfortable silence for a few minutes, making googly eyes at each other and cracking each other up. I finished my coffee and took the empty plate to the dishwasher, then sat back down at the counter.

"So, um, want to talk about this interview thing? We're expected at 10 tomorrow morning - hope that's not too early for you…"

She mock rolled her eyes. "Whatever shall I do…? Yeah, I'll be fine. Are you going to shave?"

"Ehehehehehe - no, why? You know how much I hate it! It's bad enough I'm going to have to scrape my face for at least half of this TV series I'm starting on next week…"

She gave me her best puppy eyes look. "Aw, please? Pretty please? Por favor? S'il te plait? Bitte? Пожалуйста? Vinsamlegast?"

"What's that last one?"

She chuckled, got up and stood between my knees. "I'll make it worth your while…!" She put her arms around my neck and I drew her closer to me.

"Hmm."

"What?"

"Answer the question."

She whispered in my ear "It's Icelandic." I turned my head to kiss her, and she slipped her tongue past my lips. "Mmmm...should we finish this upstairs…?"

"Weeeeell…"

She reached down to stroke me, biting her lip with that sidelong glance that always drove me up a wall. "Don't you want to fuck me, Tom?"

I caught her as she began to sink to her knees. "Of course I do! But I really want to get this interview conversation out of the way."

She perched herself back onto her barstool and pretended not to notice how hard she'd got me already.

"Go back to the part where you're going to shave because I'm going to ask very nicely later."

I rolled my eyes at her. "This isn't a negotiation, love. But I'll mow it down to just a bit of scruff, yeah?"

She gazed at me pensively. "You're nervous about the interview."

I studied my hands for a few seconds before looking back up at her. "Yeah, a little. Not sure why. It's just - it'll be the first time I do a joint interview with someone who's not a co-star, and I'm probably overthinking the whole situation."

"Tom, aside from me, what's bothering you?"

"I'm not sure I want to tell the truth, Lyekka. There are some things I don't want to share! But I also don't want to spend the entire time saying 'no comment'. That wouldn't be sporting. Plus I'm a shitty liar." 

"But what about the ground rules? Luke made sure the questions wouldn't be too personal…"

I took her hands in mine. "She'll want to know how we met, what we do when we're together, what you do when we're not together, what's the deal with the jewelry, whatever. That's what her readers are interested in."

"Well, then, we could get our stories together, or we can wing it. And a little bit of improv might not be a bad thing, you know. I'm not going to spill the beans on how much pipe you swing " - she glanced at my still-erect cock and licked her lips - "but I can tell her why you're not allowed to do my laundry. Whether I help you run lines. Which movies we like. Is that neutral enough?"

I mock winced at her. "I'm never living down the laundry thing, am I." 

"Nope! Would you like more coffee?"

"Yes, please."

She got up to set the coffee machine, but stopped in her tracks. "Look, I'm a little bit weirded out by this too, but fuck it, you know? All we have to do is mostly behave, and Luke will quash anything that he doesn't want to get out. Is he going to be there?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he'll at least be in the building. I just - I don't want to give any fans the wrong impression, that's all. That I'm not what I seem."

Her smile was kind. "You are in fact _not_ what you seem, Tom. There's so much more to you than your public image, and I'm with that. It'll be our little secret. Besides, like you said, it'll be fun!"

I grinned and stood up to hug her. "I don't even know whether we'll be sitting in separate chairs…"

She giggled. "Well, if we have a choice, I vote we sit together. That way, I can elbow you in the side if you go off on one of your epically long answers." She put one hand on the back of my neck and drew me closer to her. "I'd also rather you didn't discuss how hard I'm about to make you come."

Delicious goosebumps spread over my entire skin. "And I'll try my best to not hint at how naughty you are, my Lyekka…"

She ducked under my arm to lick my left nipple. "Who, meeeeee? You're tripping balls, squire, I'm as pure as the driven snow…"

I held her head against my chest, moaning. "Let's not...answer any questions...oooh...about that particular topic...okay?"

She switched sides, dropping one hand to my cock. "That's fair…" She slowly sank to her haunches, and I didn't stop her this time. 

\--------------------------------------

"Mmm...seriously though…"

She raised her head off my chest to look at me. "Tom, seriously though, stop obsessing about the fucking interview…! Or I'll have to take the matter in hand - _again_."

I shifted in the bed a little so I wouldn't have to twist my neck to see her. "You would anyway, your insatiableness! And I'm not talking about a full technical rehearsal or anything either. I just want us to be in the exact same spot on the exact same page, that's all."

"Hmph." She propped herself up on one elbow and smirked. "No sex questions, that's obvious. Am I allowed to verbally tease you a little? Because I don't mind if you innuendo all day long - and it wouldn't be the first time you've done that in an interview…"

I ran my hand through her hair and booped her nose. "Maybe a little." I caressed her lips with one finger. "Have I told you recently how much I love you?"

She leaned over to kiss me. "Yeah, about 10 minutes ago...and it was glorious. I love you too, my Thomas."

"Probably not going to mention that in so many words, though. Ehehehehe - we don't want to make Jenny jealous."

"Meh - don't care either way. All of our friends have said it looks like we're making love even when we're standing in line to go to the fucking movies. I think she'll pick up on that - everyone else does." She smirked and ghosted her fingers over my nipples. "What are you going to wear?"

"Ugh - a suit, haven't given it much thought. There'll be photos taken, but it's not a full shoot or anything."

"Fine, I'll wear a suit too then. I doubt I'll feel like putting on a little black dress at seven tomorrow morning."

I turned over to my side and wrapped one arm around her. "Worketh for me. Do we talk about dates?"

"Hahahahahaha! Sure, just not the BAFTA weekend. Which wasn't really a date. Except for the gala part. And the birthday supper at which nobody saw us go, be, or leave. That drink I made for you that one time, that might be fun to tell, though, even if that wasn't technically a date either."

I squeezed her arse. "We don't really date, do we. We just sort of hook up, run into each other, show up at the last minute unannounced - well, _you_ do - we go out to the cinema, to hang out and have a few drinks with friends, to eat, to dance…"

"I guess we're getting domestic, huh."

"But that's good, though, right?"

She put one leg across mine. "I don't know - I've never been domesticated until now."

"You still haven't, Lyekka - you're as wild and free as you've ever been." I kissed her again, and she grinned and giggled.

"It's a good thing, then."

"The last time I had a roommate was back in school." I gently pulled her on top of me. "It was - ehehehehehe! - a quite different arrangement."

She reached down between her legs and held my length against her wet folds. "I'm not your roommate, Tom. I bought a flat a short walk from here so we could both have our space."

"But you _are_ my goddess. Fess up to that, at least."

She lowered herself onto my cock, slowly, inch by delicious inch. "And you, my Thomas, are my _teine_ , my fire. Shall we worship together?"

I sat up and enfolded her in my arms. "Yes."

She moved with me and I with her, burning for each other, slowly at first, then faster, faster still, until I felt her body tense and her walls close around me again and again, sending both of us into a dizzying spiral of pleasure…

…

"...my Thomas…"

I looked up at her, out of breath, desperately in love with her, and when she gently kissed me, I held her tight, sobbing softly.

"...Lyekka…"

She caressed my forehead and wiped my tears away. "What's wrong, my love?"

I smiled at her. "Nothing, my love. My heart is too great for what contains it."

She giggled. "Quoting Shakespeare at me in bed is only going to get you in more trouble, you know…!"

I lay back down on the bed, still inside her, still holding on to her. She nestled against me, smiling and sighing.

"Am I allowed to quote Shakespeare at the interviewer?"

"Like you wouldn't." She pinched my arse - hard.

"OW! Ehehehehehehe - I'll try not to quote an entire play then."

"Ooof - I need to lie down…" She lifted herself off me, then lay at my side, throwing an arm and a leg over me, her head on my shoulder and one hand on my heart. "You've very comfy, have I ever told you that?"

"Probably. Thank you, though."

"What are we doing the rest of the day?"

"Pfft - I need a nap, probably a run, some food, and a movie. And you, obviously."

"Hahaha! Yes on one, three, four, and five. I don't feel like a run today."

I kissed her forehead. "Fair enough."

\-----------------------------------------------------

_fuck I need to pack_

The unbidden - and unwelcome - thought popped in my head as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, Lyekka comfortably curled up against me after making love. I'd come back from my after-nap run to find her working on engineering schematics, and I had jokingly scolded her for working on Sunday. One thing had led to another, as it often did.

And now I was wide awake, not wanting to move but needing to get up and do stuff, and arguing with my brain regarding what to agonize over next.

"Mmmm…." Lyekka stretched slightly, a sleepy smile on her face.

"Hey you - I thought you were crashed…"

She pulled herself up on one elbow. "Mmm, no...I was drifting in and out, listening to you breathe…you wore me out, boy…!"

I squeezed her bum with both hands and gave her my best outraged look. "'Boy'? O wench…! I've laid waste to your body - 'boy'??"

"Hahahahahahaha - get your mitts off me, you daffy bastard…!"

"Ehehehehehe - never!!" 

At the end of a 30-second tussle, she was on top of me, but her expression was one of concern, not lust.

"Tom, talk to me. Still thinking about that interview?"

I sighed. "I'm going out of town for four months day after tomorrow. I haven't started packing. I'm excited about the project, but I don't want to leave you, and I can't take you with me."

She kissed my cheek. "Par for the course. I don't want you to leave, and I can't go with you. It's been like this every time. It's going to be like this every time."

"Yeah, I know. It's not a bad thing. It works. I'll miss you."

"Don't miss me while I'm still here, Tom…" She bit her lip. "Let me give you something to miss first…"

\-----------------------------------------------------

By the time she and I got around to gathering the items I really needed to pack, it was too late to make a real dent in it. I texted Luke to confirm the arrangements for the next day, then Lyekka and I spooned up in bed. It didn't take long for me to sink into a dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life interfered severely with the writing of this chapter. Apologies for the delay.
> 
> Got a prompt? Drop me a note!


	3. Let's Get This Party Started

The next morning, Lyekka and I decided to skip our usual sleepy lovemaking session, so we'd have more time to get ready for the interview. We barely managed to keep our hands off each other in the shower, kisses broken by giggles and we're-going-to-be-lates. I opted for a solid dark blue suit, white shirt, blue tie. She, true to her word, selected a very dashing tailored suit, charcoal grey with silver pinstripes, a crisp light grey shirt, and towering heels.

The car Luke had sent arrived right on time, and the ride to the ELLE UK offices was uneventful. We spoke little, held hands, and stole glances at each other. I felt quite collected, and Lyekka exuded a vibe of calm approaching zen. I thought to myself: this is the right thing to do, it's going to go well. I couldn't stop smiling.

Luke met us in the lobby, accompanied by Nell, his assistant, and Jenny, the interviewer. 

"Tom, hello, so nice to see you again!" Jenny and I shook hands, and I turned to Lyekka to introduce her. She beat me to it by half a second.

"Hello, Jenny, I'm Lyekka Collins. Call me Lee. It's a great pleasure to meet you. Thanks for having us over today."

Jenny was delighted. "The pleasure's mine! Would you like some tea, or perhaps coffee would be in order?"

I returned Lyekka's smile. "Coffee, please - black for me, and…"

"One cream, two sugars for me, please, Jenny."

Jenny nodded to an assistant a few feet behind her. "Follow me, please. We'll set up and get started!"

I whispered in Lyekka's ear on the way. "Only two sugars…?"

She squeezed my hand. "Don't want to buzz all morning…!"

We arrived at a medium-sized conference room, and I was very pleased to see a two-seater couch had been set next to a couple of comfortable chairs, across from a low glass table and the seat where Jenny was obviously going to sit. I stifled a chuckle at Lyekka's inability to contain a huge grin at the sight. She sat down on the left side of the couch and patted the spot next to her.

Jenny's assistant brought a platter with our coffees, and Jenny sat across from us. Luke and Nell quietly took chairs at the large conference table, furthest from the three of us.

"So, um, make yourselves comfortable. I'd like to go over my notes with you before we start…"

I nodded. "By all means!"

She shuffled a few index cards. "You've been together for two years, is that correct?"

I glanced at Lyekka, who was studiously sipping her coffee. "Yes, that's right - two years this week, as a matter of fact."

"Are you planning anything special?"

Lyekka smiled pleasantly. "No, unfortunately. Tom is working, and I have to leave London as well."

Jenny saw the opening. "You're the lead engineer for a biomedical equipment consortium. What can you tell me about your work?"

Lyekka put her cup down. "My current project is an extension of the product line we released to market late last year. It's essentially a remote surgery system, but what makes it unique is the touch-based interface. That's my specialty."

Jenny appeared to be appropriately impressed. "And you also are the principal for a contemporary dance company based in Montreal. How do you juggle your dance career with your engineering projects?"

"Well, it's not easy, but I can't imagine myself not dancing - that's my first love. And the project is just too interesting to quit. I don't sleep a lot." She chuckled, and shot me a sideways glance. "And I probably couldn't get away with it if not for global communications networks." _And friends with suborbital shuttles and more money than god._

Jenny sorted through her cards. "And, if I may ask, how old are you?"

"Twenty-eight. And you?"

"Ah, thirty-three." Jenny glanced at me, amused. "That's a lot of accomplishments for someone under thirty…"

Lyekka paused, and for a split second I feared she would respond snidely. But she merely blinked and held Jenny's gaze with a smile. "In the immortal words of Indiana Jones, it's not the years, it's the mileage."

I threw my head back in laughter. "Ehehehehehe! Okay, I think we can agree the ice is broken here. Jenny, where would you like to begin?"

Jenny placed a small audio recording device on the table and turned it on. "Well, I'd like to know how the two of you met, what you do in your spare time together, any future plans, that sort of thing." 

Lyekka nodded. "Tom, you go first."

"Oh, okay! Well, um, we see each other as much as we can, which isn't as often as we'd like. She usually knows where I am, so she'll come meet me, and we spend a few days together here and there." _And fuck each other's brains out. Mostly._

Lyekka piped up. "We don't live together. Our schedules are too extreme. He's filming and doing press all over the world, most of the time."

"She commutes between Montreal, London, Berlin, and Zurich. She teaches dance and takes dance classes all over the planet. Her travel schedule is sometimes even more hectic than mine."

"We take turns making the morning coffee when we're together. It's about as far as we've got."

I turned to Lyekka. "About that - you owe me five cups of coffee."

"Hahahahaha! Nope, six. But you let me sleep in that one day back in January." _The fireworks lasted forever - or at least longer than the party..._

Jenny smiled. "Sounds like you get along very well - I sense a lot of positive chemistry between you two. Was it always the case?"

Lyekka chuckled. "Well, there are a few things on which we agreed to disagree along the way, or course, but nothing major."

"Such as?"

I picked up the thread. "Running is a good example. I love to run, as you know, and part of her job is to work out hours a day. The first time we went running together, I realized it was going to be a problem."

Lyekka finished her coffee. "I don't actually like running - to me, it's boring. I need to work my entire body. So I tend to, um, tumble, pirouette, vault, bounce...he finds it distracting, for some reason." Her smile got bigger as she finished her sentence. "But mostly, he runs to clear his mind, and out of respect, I don't interfere. We run together every once in a while, but that's it."

"I've worked out with her at the dance studio a couple of times, and her routine is brutal. I consider myself to be in very good shape, especially with this TV series coming up, but she's world-class, no doubt about it."

Lyekka giggled and turned to me. "Remember that one time when Bryan was already miffed about something when we showed up at the studio?"

"Ehehehehehehe! Yeah, that was a good one. I was wearing a t-shirt that read "I'm Up For Whatever" and hers read "I'm Game", and Bryan - that's Bryan Patterson, her dance coach - Bryan chased us off the floor and told us to come back when we had serious clothes on."

Jenny cut in. "How long have you been studying with Bryan?"

"Me, about six years now. Tom, almost a year and a half. Bryan also coaches martial arts, so we both get into that as well. It's a welcome change in my routine, and Tom enjoys it for the hell of it."

"That actually helped quite a bit while I was getting in shape for _Coriolanus_. Bryan hadn't fenced in a while, and he welcomed an opportunity to shake off his own rust while steering me to my fitness goals. And of course - " I smiled warmly at Lyekka, who returned the grin "- her expertise in kinesiology and body mechanics went a long way in keeping me safe from injury."

\----------------------------  
_  
I lay down on the studio floor, exhausted._

_"I can't keep up with you! What's the point, Lyekka?"_

_She kneeled next to me. "Music is not just the notes, it's the silences between the notes. It's the same with dance; it's not just the movement, it's the stillness between the movement. You need to learn to be still."_

_I shook my head. "Yeah, I know, I'm high-strung. You've told me a million times."_

_She gazed at me pensively, her head tilted, and I very much felt like the wayward student just then. She sensed it, and patted my knee. "So, now that you're winded and the body's heavy, it should be easier for you to be still without stress. You do it in short periods with yoga - this isn't that different."_

_I looked up at her ruefully. "Except you'll have to cart me out of here when we're done."_

_She smirked, then laughed outright. "Why don't you let me worry about that part. But I promise you, by the time we're done with this avenue of physical exploration, you'll be able to stand still onstage for three hours, painlessly, without so much as a twitch."_

_She was right._

\----------------------------

"That was actually fascinating, to watch him first-hand dive into the physicality of a character. I'd never worked with an actor before, and the intensity he put into it was a bit frightening at first." She turned to me and squeezed my hand. "But it's obvious how much you love what you do, sweets, and it's a treat to see someone who's very good at their work, well, work!"

I smooched her temple. "Thank you, my dear. Always happy to please my audience."

Jenny spotted another tack. "Do you have nicknames for each other?"

I looked over to Lyekka. "That's kind of a personal question, isn't it?"

She turned to Jenny. "Actually, we don't, not really. I call him Hiddles from time to time, and he invariably responds by calling me Collins."

\----------------------------  
_  
She beamed at me, her eyes almost closed, her orgasm waning._

 _"Oh, my Thomas, my_ teine _...so good…"_

_I kissed her neck and turned my head just enough to look at her. "What did you call me?"_

_She frowned so fleetingly, I must have imagined it. "It's Scottish Gaelic. Your heritage, last time I checked…"_

_I literally heard my brain get into gear._ "Oh." _I raised myself on both elbows. She glowed. So beautiful. And she called me_ fire. 

_"I love you so much, my Lyekka...my_ dà uair _…"_

_She gently put her hands to my face. "What does that mean…?"_

_I rubbed my still-erect length against her quim and grinned wickedly._ "Twice."

\----------------------------

"A lot of people call me Tommy from time to time. She does too. I don't dislike it."

"I go by Lee because it's easier for everybody, but he never calls me that. I like it."

Jenny chuckled. "You _are_ aware that you're very cute together. Does any of it qualify as fangirling/fanboying?"

Lyekka nudged me in the side. "I never really knew what fangirling was, until I met him. It's embarrassing, really, because it's a totally visceral reaction. It really is like looking into the sun."

Jenny asked "Care to demonstrate?"

Lyekka looked at me and made an actual squeeing sound. "Hahahahahaha oh gods can you NOT?" She flailed a bit, elegantly somehow, and leaned towards Jenny. "Have you _looked_ at him? You can't not do that. It's frightening." Her laughter was contagious - even Luke and Nell cracked up behind us.

I caught my breath, then plunged in. "I actually fanboy over her as well, but it's not quite as overt."

"And what does that look like?"

I leered at Lyekka. "Ooooh." Audible intake of breath. "NO." Hard blink. "Oh." I smiled at Jenny and began laughing, then turned to Lyekka and doubled over.

"And there goes the fifth-gear laugh!" Lyekka slapped my knee, and grinned at Jenny, herself in the throes of a fit of giggles. "You know, that's one of the most endearing things about you, Tom."

_At least , it's one you can talk about in polite company._


	4. How Does This Even Work?

Jenny finally came up for air and looked through her cards. "Let's go back to something you said earlier, Tom. You mentioned you and Lee get together when you can. Lee, you've been known to just show up. That's been noticed - and is a bit unusual. What can you tell me about that?"

I imagined Luke twitching behind me, but I didn't look at him, only at Lyekka. She slyly returned my glance, and smiled at Jenny.

"Well, it's usually easier for me to get away than it is for him, so I'll come meet him. It's usually last minute, like this past weekend actually, so he's very patient and very forgiving with that, I have to say."

"She came to join me at a number of public events early on in our relationship, and people started wondering, but we wanted to keep it to ourselves for a while."

Lyekka turned to me. "Apparently, I'm a crazed fan and a stalker."

"Ehehehehehe! Are you stalking me right now? Because that would be fantastic."

She giggled. "Not that I know of, but I can revise my arrangements to suit your taste."

I took and kissed her hand. "I'm pretty much grafted to my phone, but we don't really talk or text when we're not together. I know it sounds weird, but it can be really distracting if we do."

Lyekka chimed in. "We spend weeks at a time apart, and we're usually insanely busy at the same time on our respective projects. Factor in time zone differences…"

I nodded. "And the fact that it's fun for us to pick up where we left off. It makes us feel like less time has gone by while we were apart."

"We do call and text and things when there's big stuff going on…"

"Yeah...like the patent and the ensuing press conference…"

Lyekka chuckled. "And I still can't believe you flew in for that. But yeah, it's a bit odd, I suppose, but it makes our relationship work better."

"Indeed it does. And we're both very thankful for that."

Jenny hesitated, then asked her next question. "You've both been seen in public with other people - so we shouldn't read anything into that?"

Lyekka tensed, too subtly for anyone else to notice, but she managed to keep a grip on her tone. "I'm endlessly amazed at what people pay attention to. I have lots of friends, I'll go out with them whenever I please, and if someone wants to build some elaborate theories about why, that's their business - but it's annoying."

I squeezed her hand. "I'm used to it, after a fashion, but it's still very odd to me that anyone would be interested in that kind of details of my life. I mean, I'm just a guy, you know?" _And my arrangement with my lover is none of your fucking business._

\----------------------------  
 _  
"What do you mean, you want to date other guys?"_

_She harrumphed at me. "That is_ not _what I said. Don't twist it around."_

_"Lyekka, I don't understand."_

_She put her hand on mine. "Look, Tom, it's not that complicated. You have needs, and I'm fine with you satisfying those needs when I'm not around. Everybody needs to scratch that itch. It's fucking biology. Conversely, though, I'm not going to sit on a block of ice waiting for you to come home. Any questions?"_

_"Yeah. Tons. Do you love me?"_

_She let go of my hand and agitatedly paced the living room. "Oh for fuck's sakes!! I'd take a fucking bullet for you, Tom, you know that! But I also don't do jealous, and I'm a realist. I can't ask you to go without getting laid for weeks at a time when I know I can't go without. Ever had meaningless sex?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Well, girls can choose to have meaningless sex too. Don't be such - don't be such a_ guy _about it. Please?"_

_I sat silent for a few moments. "So, what is this, then, an open relationship?"_

_She shook her head. "No, it's_ not _\- and certainly not on the emotional plane. I really don't give a shit about anyone but you, Thomas. Must you slap a label on it? If so, then let's just call it 'it's how Tom and Lyekka deal with being physically apart' - what's wrong with that?"_

_I looked down at my hands. "Nothing, I guess - I just don't want to have to explain anything to anyone."_

_She gently caressed my cheek. "Look, it's not like I'm going to walk out the door and bang the first guy I see. It's exactly_ not _that. And it's really none of anyone's fucking business. And I doubt either one of us would be obvious about it…" She leaned down to kiss me. "If you don't want me to, that's fine. But I'll hold you to it as well."_

_I grabbed her gently and sat her on my knee. "Give me time to think about it, okay? It's...unconventional."_

_She straddled me and put both her hands on my shoulders. "If you really think I could give myself to anyone else the way I do with you...maybe we shouldn't be together at all."_

_"You don't mean that."_

_"Of course I don't - I can't imagine my life without you anymore, Tom, even if I never get enough of you…"_

_I pulled her closer and kissed her. "I can't imagine that either, Lyekka. And no, I don't believe for a second that you'd be with anyone else the way you and I are together."_

_She reached between her legs to stroke my hardening length through my jeans. "Let me prove it to you..."_

_I shifted in my seat and sneaked a hand onto her silk-covered quim. "You're_ mine _, Lyekka, as I'm yours…body, mind, heart, and soul..."_

_She sighed into my ear. "Forever and always…"_

_Afterwards, I mused aloud that having permission was probably a good way for us to not actually use said permission. Her only answer was a satisfied sigh. I held her close, and we fell asleep in each other's arms._

\----------------------------

"...I guess I can't see the reason for the interest. I mean, I admire plenty of actors, but I don't wonder about how they like their coffee or whether they're cheating on their spouses. That's just...weird to me. And some people read entirely too much into things that aren't even on anyone else's radar…"

Lyekka piped up. "Everybody's so hung up on private matters…! I really don't understand why people consider it entertainment, or why they feel they're entitled to that kind of information. All it does is incite me to say absolutely anything at all, the more outrageous - and untrue - the better, just to see peoples' reactions. It's not a good thing."

"To her credit, she's managed to not actually do that so far." She grinned wickedly at me. _Tease._ "Uh oh."

"And to be fair, Jenny, it's not like we've been hiding - but because I don't follow him around like a puppy, some people imagine whatever they want. That's fine. I don't concern myself with it much."

Jenny was quiet for a second, then fired her next question. "There was a lot of attention around the two of you during the BAFTA weekend, some of it having to do with jewelry." She pointed at my right hand. "What's the story with the rings?"

I held up my hand. "This? It's a souvenir from TIFF 2013. I bought it because I liked it. I usually only wear a watch, but I do like some items of jewelry from time to time."

Lyekka ran her fingers along the palm of my hand. "I liked it too, so when I saw one like it in another shop, I bought it."

"Ehehehe - no imagination whatsoever."

Lyekka turned to me. "Well, it's pretty spiffy, so I had to get one - not sorry to be a copycat." She smiled at Jenny. "We each bought one without the other being there. It doesn't mean anything other than he has good taste in jewelry and I have money."

\----------------------------  
 _  
"This shop is really neat - we should get a tattoo…"_

_I chuckled. "Um, no - you go right ahead, love…" A glint of metal from one of the display cases caught my eye. "Hey, come look at this! I've never seen anything quite like it…"_

_She flagged one of the shop guys and joined me at the display case. "Wow! Do they have two? I want one…Hey, um, Dean, is it? Hi Dean! I'm Lee. Is that the only one like it you have in the store?"_

_The young man opened the case and took out the multifaceted stainless steel ring. "I think I might have another one - let me check. Here, try this one on, I'll be right back."_

_Lyekka turned the ring over and handed it to me. "This one's huge, Tom._ You _try it on."_

_It easily fit both my index and middle fingers, but it didn't feel right on either somehow. "Hmm, I don't know, Lyekka…"_

_Dean came back with a smaller ring, identical to the one on my right hand. "Oh, you're lucky - this is the only other one, and we won't be getting any more." He gave the second ring to Lyekka and looked at my hand. "That looks really cool, man - can I ring you up?"_

_Lyekka tried on the ring, and it also fit her perfectly. "Tommy, check it out!"_

_I frowned a bit, then did something that took even me by surprise - I pulled the ring off my index finger and slipped it onto my thumb. It fit even better there. I grinned at Lyekka, and she did the same with her ring._

_Dean beamed. "So, yeah?"_

_I nodded, still smiling. "Yeah. Definitely."_

_Lyekka hugged me. "Thank you, Tom. It's really beautiful!"_

_I kissed her as we walked to the cash register. "So are you, Lyekka. You're welcome."_

_As we stepped out into the cool Toronto evening, she took my arm and whispered "Let's not tell anyone about this, yeah?"_

_I stopped, gently put my hands to her face, and kissed her. "Agreed. It'll be our little secret."  
_  
\----------------------------

"So, no big announcement pending then?"

"Ehehehe - no." I put one arm around Lyekka's shoulders. "We're fine with the way things are, why mess with it? One of the things I like best about being with Lyekka is that I don't have to prove anything. I'm just a guy. She takes me as I am, at face value, and that's that. We laugh a lot together because we're both silly. We just have a lot of fun."

Lyekka leaned into my side. "Tom never puts on airs, he makes me laugh, and he doesn't make me cry. He's very thoughtful, extremely silly, and the most genuine person I could ever hope to meet. And it blows me away every day that we did meet."

Jenny looked up from her notes, a huge grin on her face.

"How _did_ the two of you meet?"


	5. We Met Cute, Of Course

Lyekka and I glanced sidelong at each other and winked.

"That's a funny story - at a coffee shop in London." 

Lyekka once again picked up the thread. "The place was packed, and the only reason I was there was to try to get a leg up on some software I was writing. I wasn't getting anywhere in my hotel room, so I decided to get out and see what I could get done somewhere else."

"I was reading a script, and needed caffeine and a snack and didn't feel like hanging out at home. It was a brisk but sunny day, and I was already out and about when I made the stop. The only available sitting space left was next to her, so I plopped my pile down on the table to sort of reserve my spot before ordering my coffee and sandwich."

Lyekka smiled. "I wasn't even supposed to be in London that day, but my traveling schedule got borked on my way to Berlin, so you know what they say, make lemonade. [giggle] I was so wrapped up in my stuff that I didn't notice the stack of books and papers that appeared on the table next to my laptop, and when he came back with his munchies, I barely glanced at him. I just got the impression of someone tall and blond."

I chuckled quietly. "I gave her a casual look, you know, ready to apologize for impinging on her space, but she was wearing earphones and didn't really notice me. I thought she was really pretty, but I couldn't see her eyes."

"After about ten minutes, I got the notion that someone was looking at me - that feeling you get, right? So I stopped typing and took my left earbud out and turned to look at him in the face. Oh boy."

"Ehehehe! I'd never seen eyes of that color before - or since. She just sort of blinked at me, and I felt myself blushing because I'd been staring at her screen. She was working on some animatics software, and it looked like dancing."

Lyekka turned to me and smiled warmly. "So he asked me what I was working on, even though he was turning crimson. I thought it was a pretty good save, and he was smiling, so why the heck not talk to the guy. He seemed nice, and I couldn't quite place him, but he looked sort of familiar. And those baby blues, oof."

"She was really nice about it, and it was so cool to hear someone talk about something they're passionate about! Her software translated Labanotation into animatics, and she was putting finishing touches on the interface and enhancing the graphics, so instead of stick figures, the software displayed a more realistic body."

Lyekka gestured towards Jenny. "I realized a few minutes into my explanation that he wasn’t just being polite, he was really interested. He told me he loved to dance, and of course I'm a professional dancer myself, so we hit it off nice."

"I asked for her name and number, and she just sort of giggled, and I told her I'd love to take her out dancing."

"I replied that I was only in town for a couple of days, and he looked really disappointed. I told him my name and gave him my number, and when he gave me his, that's when it hit me - that's the guy who played Captain Nicholls in _War Horse_! His hair was longer and a bit darker, but the voice, yeah, and those eyes, wow!" 

"She didn't say anything, but I thought I saw a flash of recognition in her eyes. To her credit, it was after she gave me her info, so I thought it was lovely. Anyway, I ended up leaving to let her work on her stuff after asking her when she'd be in London next."

"I texted him about a month later, and he was off somewhere, but he replied he absolutely wanted to go dancing with me, and we penciled in a date for a few weeks later when we'd both be in town."

I smiled at Jenny. "And the rest, as they say, is history."

_But, of course, that's not at all how it happened. Not the night we met anyway._

\-----------------------------------

It is said that love will find you when you're not looking. I never thought about it much, and certainly never thought it would happen to me, much less at an event. But it did.

Jay, my friend and occasional co-star, had invited me to a charity ball and fashion show, and I figured anything I could do to help a good cause was worth my while. Jay had been trying to recruit me to model for Gina, his boyfriend Robbie's sister-in-law, for some time now. This seemed like a good opportunity to meet everyone, and since the event was taking place in London, the convenience of it made it easy for me to accept.

I arrived at the venue right on time, and was spotted immediately by Jay, who introduced me to Robbie, then to the rest of his crew: Robbie's twin brother Gary, their older brother Mitch and his wife Gina, owner of the fashion house who had sponsored the event, their sister Julie, founder and principal of a modern dance company, and her husband Gil.

Gina thanked me for attending, complimented me on my choice of formal wear, and suggested I visit her office sometime soon to discuss modeling for her. Jay chuckled and announced he was claiming the finder's fee if I signed on. Our little group shot the breeze for a bit - most of us were musicians and artists of one stripe or another - and I began seriously considering Gina's offer right then and there. I had a fair amount of experience with fashion photoshoots, and it became evident that her company ploughed a significant share of its resources into charity work, especially youth outreach programs.

I was listening to the conversation when I heard a very distinctive laugh coming from the other side of the room. It sounded like silver bells giggling. I turned to locate the source, and made eye contact with a stunning young woman, very tall, gorgeous floor-length dress, short black hair, dazzling smile. I reflexively smiled back, and she briefly lowered her eyes in a most fetching way and looked straight at me again before resuming her own conversation. I turned back to my companions with the obvious question.

"Pardon me, but I have to ask - who is that lovely woman over there?"

Mitch glanced across the room and back. "Oh, you have good taste…! She's about to become the principal dancer in Julie's company. Come on, I'll introduce you!"

A dancer. She moved like one - she made the mere gesture of picking up and drinking from her wine glass look like poetry. Her poise was evident, her confidence even more so. She saw us approach and deposited her glass onto a nearby table in a liquid movement that made the glass appear like it had floated down by itself. The two friends she'd been talking to smiled at her and left.

"Tom, this is Lyekka, Julie's protégée. Lyekka, meet Tom, an actor friend of Jay's."

"Hello, Tom, it's very nice to meet you." Her proffered hand was soft and strong, her handshake firm, her voice...her voice made my heart skip a beat.

"The pleasure's mine, Lyekka. How do you do?" I brushed my lips against her knuckles after our handshake, eliciting that delightful giggle.

"Quite well, thank you. Mitch, nice to see you - you too, Gina!"

Mitch beamed. "Alright, kids, have fun!" Gina took his arm and they headed for the bar. Lyekka gazed at me, still smiling.

"Where do I know you from? We've never met, I'd remember that, but I've seen you somewhere before, I'm sure of it!"

"Ehehehehehe! Um, movies? I've had a few films come out the past couple of years…"

She leaned in a bit closer as if to scrutinize me. "A few? You must be doing very well…! Don't tell me, let me guess…"

I snagged two flutes of champagne from a passing waiter's tray and handed one to Lyekka with a flourish.

"Do join me, won't you?"

She gently took the glass from my hand and took a sip. "I know which one you are - you played Loki in _Thor_ and _Avengers_! You look very different, but it's definitely you!"

I bowed. "Indeed it is. I trust you enjoyed the movies?"

"I certainly did! I was sort of surprised to see the likes of Kenneth Branagh direct a superhero movie, but hey, it worked - and you were very good in it - and in _Avengers_!"

"Thank you very much! What about you? Mitch tells me you're a professional dancer?"

"I am - say, shall we go over there and sit down? Seems a bit more quiet…"

"Of course, I'd love to!"

As she turned, I stared at the back of her dress - or rather, the complete lack thereof. Her lean muscles played under her smooth skin, and the plunging drape barely reached the swell of her arse. Her hips swayed slowly as she walked, and my mind began to drift.

_Oh boy._

She chose her spot and patted the space next to her. "What would you like to know?"

I sat down, grinning. "Um, well, I love dancing, so tell me about that…"

She had always danced, as far back as she could remember. She was very passionate about her art, and I always found it a treat to listen to someone talk about their beloved craft. But dance wasn't her only calling...

"...so right now, I'm working on a little piece of software that converts Labanotation to full 3D animatics, but tailored to a dancer's specific build and abilities. It can even account for injuries and such! It's kind of just to see if I can pull it off, it's not part of my main project, but it's fun!"

"Wow! And your main project would be…"

She leaned in a little closer. "My specialty is haptics - anything that has to do with touch, like machine interfaces and stuff like that. I'm the lead engineer on a remote surgery system project; we're looking to go commercial within a couple of years. It's exciting!"

I grinned from ear to ear. "You're amazing! Smart and beautiful - " I hoped she couldn't see me blush in the muted light - "...and you obviously love what you do. That's very cool."

She gently squeezed my knee. "Thank you. And you say you love to dance too. Shall we?"

I stood up and offered her my arm. "Nothing would please me more!"

I followed her to the dance floor, staring at her back again. Wow. She was in top physical condition, no doubt about it...She turned around and smiled, and I realized I had no idea where to put my hand.

"Tom, is something the matter…?"

I was blushing again. Dear gods. "Um, well, I - "

She took my hand and put it on her hip, half on fabric and half on her skin. Her warm, lovely skin.

"Will that work?"

"Ah, yes, thank you, Lyekka. I, um, I didn't want to be rude…"

That silver bell laugh again. "I appreciate that. You're nice."

We took a few steps and immediately fell into a groove. I hadn't danced to classical music in quite a while, and she followed me perfectly. It was as if we'd danced together for years. 

"Oh my, Tom, you can actually lead!"

"Ehehehehe! Happy to be of use, m'lady!"

She closed the distance between us ever so slightly. "It's a rare talent, on the endangered list. Enjoy it - I certainly am."

We danced, and danced, and danced. She was lovely, radiant. We made small talk and locked eyes several times, always smiling. Her hand on my shoulder was light, her gaze inviting. I'm lucky, I thought to myself. I hoped the night would never end. 

She moved closer still to whisper in my ear. "Are you thirsty? I could use another drink, if you don't mind…"

I smiled. "Let's do that." I kept her hand in mine as we walked to the bar. She flagged the bartender.

"Two iced vodka shots, and two waters, please!"

I chuckled. "Excellent choice, my dear!"

She turned to me while we waited for our drinks. I couldn't quite decipher her expression - wistful, perhaps…? She brightened, stood as close to me as she could, and raised her left hand to touch my left cheek, caressing it with the back of her hand.

_Click._

It was literally as if a switch had been thrown in my heart. One second, I'm standing very near a lovely woman, and the next…

...the next, she's kissing me softly and I'm in love with her.

She pressed her slightly parted lips to mine again and again, and I breathed her in each time, wanting to make her a part of me. I gently rested one hand on her hip - I was afraid she'd step back if I pulled her to me...but she responded by putting her right wrist on my shoulder, letting her hand hang. 

We stood there for I don't know how long, listening to each other's breathing, forehead to forehead, eyes closed, in a state of grace. I'd never been so moved by a stranger, and yet I knew her already somehow.

"...ahem…"

Lyekka and I opened our eyes simultaneously and stared at the bartender. She reached for her shot and I for mine, both of us chuckling.

"Here's to you, Tom!"

"And to you, Lyekka!"

She drained her shot in one gulp and sipped her water. "There's something I should probably tell you now…"

_oh fuck she's married_

She pulled up on her dress to show me her shoes. "I'm not this tall. I just really like extreme heels."

I mentally exhaled. That, I could deal with. Her height was quite unimportant - and dancing like she did in 6-inch heels made me admire her even more.

I leaned in and pecked her cheek. "Ehehehe! Good to know. I, on the other hand, really am this tall."

She turned her head to kiss my lips. She tasted like berries and vodka. I was so smitten by this point, I wasn't sure what to do next. I was, however, concerned about my stiffening cock. Nothing like an erection to turn off someone you've just met.

She broke the kiss, smiling. "Shall we dance?"

"Of course!" I hoped my relief wasn't too evident in my voice. The last thing I wanted was for her to think I wasn't a gentleman…

...and of course, the next dance was a slow one. But she kept her distance just so, and she was still smiling when we broke for drinks again five tunes later. She regarded me over the rim of her glass.

"Where did you learn to dance, Tom?" 

"Oh, here and there - acting school, private tutoring for roles, that sort of thing...I have the luxury of taking training for whatever the role calls for. I had to learn the lute and the violin for a film I shot last summer."

"That's wonderful! Does it stay with you, when you learn in bursts like that, or does it fade away after a time?"

"It's like everything else. If you don't use it, it goes away...I play guitar, badly, but I enjoy it quite a bit…"

She laughed sweetly. "You'll get on fabulously with the band, then!"

"Pardon?"

"Oh, I thought you knew - Robbie and Gary and them? Band. Metal. But they also play all kinds of stuff, it's very cool!"

"I've only just met them - and I feel like I've monopolized your time and kept you from your friends…"

She put down her empty glass and took my hands in hers. "You're a better dancer than any of them. Shall we say our goodbyes on the way out?" She stood so close, I could feel her body heat. "I was hoping you'd walk me home. My hotel is just a few blocks from here…"

"My pleasure and privilege - you don't live in London?"

"No. I might get a place here, but right now I'm a poster child for extreme commuting. The dance company is based in Montreal, and my engineering work is in Germany, mostly." 

"Ehehehehe! That sounds like my schedule! I'm spending the better part of the next 6 months doing press all over the world…"

"Sounds like fun…" She leaned in, and this time she stopped just short of kissing me, her eyes closed. She sighed softly, and I couldn't resist. I took her chin between my thumb and index, and gently brushed her lips with mine. She rewarded me with the tip of her tongue, darting fleetingly to touch mine, sending a bolt of electricity through my entire body. My heartbeat racing, I deepened the kiss. She let go of my other hand, put her arm around my neck, and pulled me to her, closing the space between us. She _had_ to know the effect she had on me - I had a raging hard-on, and I was so lost in her that I didn't care.

She broke the kiss after I don't know how long, a hungry expression on her face as she bit her lip. My cock twitched at the sight - she wanted me as much as I wanted her.

"Want to get out of here, Tom?"

I swallowed hard and smiled. "Yes, why don’t we?"

We made the requisite rounds to bid everyone goodnight. I had to give her props, she acted like nothing was going on - but surely, she'd at least felt some sparks…? I was ready to drop her off and give myself a hand at home later if necessary, behave and be a gentleman. 

She retrieved her shawl from the cloak room, and we stepped out into the brisk night air. I offered her my arm, and she took it. On the way, we chatted about everything and nothing. The walk to her hotel was far too short. She let go of my arm, squeezed my hand, and turned to me, an impish smile on her face.

"So...nightcap, Tom?"

"I'd love one, Lyekka!"

I laced my fingers with hers, and we traversed the lobby into the elevator. She punched the top floor, and bowed her head, giving me sidelong glances in the mirrored walls. My heart was racing out of control.

Card key, green light, open door. She turned on the entrance light. Her suite was huge and plush, comfortably appointed. Her back to me, she shrugged slightly, and I lifted her shawl off her shoulders. She took it from me without turning and dropped it to the floor on her way to the bar.

"What would you like, Tom?" 

I joined her at the counter, standing close enough to feel her heat. I wanted to drown in her. The look of anticipation on her face was too much to bear, and I spoke my heart.

"What I would like...what I would _really_ like...is to make love with you, Lyekka. Please let me…?"

She rolled her hips to mine, put one hand on my shoulder, and whispered breathlessly into my ear. 

"Yes."

_Click._

I saw it in her eyes before she turned again and led me into the bedroom. Low lights, king-size bed, full-length mirror to one side...she faced the latter with her back to me and intently watched me gently peel her dress off her. She was naked underneath, long lean muscles, small but spectacular breasts, bare quim... I could smell her arousal, and her scent was tantalizing. I kissed her neck and shoulders, caressing her satin skin, the back I'd stared at, her perfect arse, breathing her in, pacing myself as best I could, listening to her sighs and moans, to our quickening breaths…

She pressed herself into me before turning to undress me. Jacket, bow tie...she took so long unbuttoning my shirt, glancing at me between each button, I almost jumped out of my skin. _Tease._

"Hang on a second, Lyekka…"

I took off my shoes and socks. She giggled and removed her heels. "Five six."

I nodded, smiling. "Six two."

"And…?" She slipped one finger into the front of my trousers to pull me closer, taking a peek before undoing my belt and zipper.

"Ehehehehehe...finders keepers…!"

I shimmied out of my trousers and stood naked before her appraising gaze. Even in the half light of the dimmed bedroom lamps, I could see her pupils were blown. She licked her lips and shot me a predatory look that made my cock twitch.

"Take me to bed, Tom. Please."

I scooped her up into my arms, gently laid her on the bed, and stretched out next to her. 

"Tell me what you'd like, Lyekka." 

"I want…" She stroked my chest as she spoke. "I want your hands on me, all over me. Your eyes, your voice, your mouth, your cock...I want all of you…"

A jolt went up my spine. My hands drifted down to her arse, her thighs...her skin was so lovely. She had a few tattoos, which her dress had covered, and I traced them all with the tip of one finger. 

"You're so very beautiful, Lyekka...May I have a taste of you?"

She reached down to rub two fingers through her wet folds, sighing softly, and brought them back to my lips. I took her hand, inhaled deeply, and slowly licked her fingers clean, eyes closed. Her musk was intoxicating. When I looked at her again, she smiled and bit her lip.

"Tom...please…"

I kneeled between her spread legs and put my hands on either side of her head. She reached up and caressed me all over while I slowly, _slowly_ , worked my way down her body. I kissed her forehead and eyes, nuzzled her nose and chin, nibbled on her earlobes, her moans and hands spurring me on. I licked her ink, sucked on her nipples until they were hard as pebbles under my tongue, then ghosted kisses down her waist and sides.

Every time I glanced up at her, she looked back at me, hooded eyes, biting her lower lip and sighing softly. Her pulse fluttered under my hands and mouth, making mine race ever faster. 

"Lyekka…"

I gave her left breast a gentle squeeze, and she cooed and put one hand over mine, pushing it down towards her center.

"Tom...find me…"

I still had her taste on my tongue, and I needed more. I traced her folds with one finger and breathed warmly onto her mound, and looking up at her saw that she had raised herself on her elbows to get a better look at what I was about to do. Deciding to improve the view for both of us, I gently grabbed her hips and backed up, pulling her towards the edge of the bed. She whooped delightedly and laughed. I kneeled on the floor before her, and gave her an expectant look, returning her smile, playful lover.

"That's better, don't you think, Lyekka…?"

She scooted just a bit closer to the edge of the bed, but instead of wrapping her legs over my shoulders as I thought she would, she very slowly spread them into almost a full front split. 

_Oh. Right. Dancer._

She cupped my neck with one delicate hand, lacing the fingers of the other with my left, letting me take her weight.

"Yes, Thomas, it is. Now pray to me."

My heartbeat detonated in my chest as I bowed down reverently and gave her mound a closed-mouth kiss before parting her folds with my tongue and burying my face in her quim, drinking in her wetness along with her soft cries. Her free hand moved up to card through my hair, without pulling or pushing. I licked and suckled, guided by her sharp intakes of breath and her wordless moans...she was delicious, and I couldn't get enough of her. She brought her legs closer together and over my shoulders when I took her hard, swollen clit into my mouth, and she tightened her grip on my hair. I snaked my tongue into her as far as it would go, and replaced it with one finger an instant later, searching for and finding her hidden spot. 

"Oh gods, Tom, yes, like that...just...like...that…soooo goooood..."

I gazed at her through lust-clouded eyes right then, and she arched her back, bearing down further to let me delve deeper into her. I pulled my face away a few inches and kissed the inside of her thighs.

"Tell me when, Lyekka...I want to watch you...you're so beautiful, love, I don't want to miss a thing…"

"Ooooooh, Tooooooom...I'm...so…close…" Her breath halting now, her fingers curled tightly in my hair …

"Come hard for me, Lyekka, please, come...let me see you...please…"

I added a second finger and tapped and rubbed her spot as I devoured her cunt, her cries louder and louder until…

...she wailed my name as her walls clenched around my fingers and she bucked into my face, almost drowning me in her wetness, holy baptism…

"...Tooooooooooom OH FUCK YES _YES_ yes yes yesssssssssss oh gods fuck Toooommmmm…"

I watched her in utter adoration as her pleasure ebbed. Her breath halting, she dropped back on the bed, her rigid legs relaxing, her fingers in my hair slowly rubbing my scalp. I sat on my haunches for a minute, my hands on her thighs, then stood up, picked her up very gently and moved her up the bed to make her more comfortable.

"...oooh, Lyekka…" I lay next to her, my heart racing, my cock so hard I didn't know how long I'd last if she as much as thought about touching me. "Was that okay…?"

She turned to me, putting one arm around my neck and one leg over my hip, her drenched quim barely brushing my length, and cooed. "That was way better than okay, Tom, thank you…"

I cast about for a corner of the sheet so I could wipe my face, but she kissed me before I could find one.

"Um, I…do you want me to…"

She kissed me again and again, licking her musk off my lips and cheeks with quick darts of her tongue. "Oh, Tom, you taste so goooood...I knew I'd love tasting myself on you…"

I held her tightly, marveling at the love blooming in my entire being. I'd had plenty of good sex in my life, but she made everyone else pale in comparison - and this felt different, dreamy and intimate.

She pulled away just far enough to look at me through heavy-lidded eyes, a sated smile on her face.

"Mmmm...Whatever shall I do with you now, you insanely hot man?"

"Lyekka...do anything you like…"

She stretched luxuriously, then sat up. "In that case...teach me your body…"

I smiled up at her while she gently ran her hands through my hair, giving me chills. She took her time, lightly brushing her lips, tongue, hands, breasts against me, all over me...soft and so gentle...I put my hands on her hips, and pulled her on top of me. She smiled wickedly, took my hands off her and laced her fingers with mine, then pinned my arms above my head and dropped her head to kiss me. I closed my eyes, high on her touch and nimble tongue, moaning my delight.

"Oooooh...that feels so good, Lyekka...please don't stop…"

She licked my earlobe and whispered "Not a chance...I don't think I could even if I wanted to…" She worked her way down my body, slow and deliberate, and every time I opened my eyes, she was watching me. It turned me on even more.

"Ooh, Lyekka...do your will..."

She moved down, stretching as much as she could before she had to release my hands. Her face glowed, feverish, her expression ravenous. "My turn to get a taste then…"

Straddling my thighs, she gently wrapped one hand around the base of my cock and swirled her tongue all over my tip, lapping up droplets of precum. I couldn't keep my hips from thrusting a couple of times, and she chuckled. "You like? I'm just getting started…You have such a gorgeous cock, Tom…"

She took me halfway down, warm wet mouth and wicked tongue. I wanted to watch her, but I couldn't keep my eyes open...so good...

"Lyekka...slow down...please…"

She looked up, smiling. "You ask nicely…" 

"I...your mouth feels amazing...I don't want to come too soon…"

She pouted, then chuckled. "Well, in that case…" She let go of me and sat back up, still on my legs. "Condom?"

I smiled up at her. "Yeah - yes, of course! Um, in my wallet…" I pointed at my trousers, piled on the floor near the mirror. "Allow me…" She let me up. I quickly retrieved the foil and rejoined her on the bed. She snagged the packet out of my hand.

"On your back, Tom…"

I complied with a smile. "By all means…!"

She expertly rolled on the condom, and straddled me. "I'll go as slow as I can stand it - which I doubt is very slow at all…"

I put one hand on her bum and wrapped my other arm around her back, pulling her to me. "Anything you like…"

She moaned softly, closing her eyes as she took me inside herself, her hands on my shoulders, her inner muscles closing around my cock ever tighter with every inch, hot and so wet for me…she threaded one hand through my hair and opened her eyes, smiling. 

"Oh gods, Thomas, you feel so good…"

"And you…" Grinning like a fool, I rolled us over until I was on top of her. "How about now…?"

Her hand in my hair tightened, the nails of the other digging into my shoulder. "Even better…"

Her legs around my waist, I sank myself into her again and again, she moving with me in perfect unison. Her fingers grabbed and raked, her cries and whimpers speeding up as the light built behind my eyes, my mind hanging on to the single thought of how exquisitely our bodies fit together...She ravaged my neck and mouth with hungry kisses, and I returned every single one. I wanted her to own me utterly, and I wanted her to be mine forever…

...our rhythm picking up, almost matching our heartbeats, wide open mouths and tangled tongues, ever faster…

...and in that breathless moment just before she ignited my soul and our hearts and bodies came, her gentle whisper against my lips: "Oh, my Thomas…"

...lost in her, I found myself…

"...Lyekka…Lyekka…"

"Tommmmm...so goooooood..."

I gently caressed her face. "You're so beautiful...thank you…"

"Ooooh...thank you, Tom!" 

We kissed softly as I left her body. She made quick work of the condom, and ducked into the bathroom to bring back two small towels. We dried each other as best we could, and she nestled against me, purring contentedly.

The words of my heart slipped past my lips as I drifted off into sleep.

"I love you, Lyekka."

\----

I woke up to the smell of coffee, sunlight peeking around the edges of the curtains. I reached out to the other side of the bed - no one there. I rolled over on my back as Lyekka walked into the bedroom, nude as a jaybird, a cup of coffee in each hand and a sassy grin on her face.

"Good morning, Tom!"

I sat up and returned her smile. "Good morning, Lyekka!"

She climbed on the bed and handed me one cup, then leaned closer and kissed me. "Breakfast should arrive shortly. I didn't know what you like, so I sort of ordered one of each."

"Ehehehehe! I like everything breakfast, don't worry!" I took another sip of coffee. "This is way better than the usual hotel room fare…! Thank you, Lyekka, this hits the spot!"

She put her cup on the night table and got up to open the curtains, letting light stream in. She looked lovely, tousled hair and perfect skin - and that amazing body. As she sat back down next to me on the bed, I noticed…

"Oh! Your eyes are grey…"

"Hahahaha! Yours are green this morning…" She leaned in and kissed me again. "I'm pretty sure they were blue last night…" 

"Probably - they usually are." I gently cupped her chin in one hand. "Yours are extraordinary...like the rest of you…" 

"You're making me blush, sir…"

I set my cup next to hers, and we kissed for long minutes, wrapped in each other's arms. When we broke the kiss, the look on her face was one of wonder, happy and slightly puzzled. I chuckled and ran the fingertips of one hand over her shoulder and back.

"I love the grain of your skin…"

She giggled. "You looked like you wanted to check it out the whole time we danced…"

"Well, that would have been presumptuous and rude - not to mention probably dangerous as well, given your level of physical fitness…!"

She pecked my cheek. "While it's true that I can take care of myself, sometimes it's nice…" She kissed me and nuzzled my chin. "...it's nice to have someone take care of you."

As I returned her smile, something occurred to me. "You have me at a slight disadvantage...I don't know your last name…"

She chuckled. "It's Collins. You're Hiddleston, right?"

"Ehehehehehe - quite right." I kissed her again. "What else should I know about you?"

"I'm 26, and no one owns me. I'm very smart, I'm very good at what I do, and I will not apologize for either. I'm a maniac - I never half-ass anything. I work and party harder than anyone I know. I love my life."

"I can tell."

She took my hands. "You said something to me last night…"

"Um, yeah, about that - "

"Keep it here " - she put one hand on my heart - "because it was true."

I stared at her. "It still is."

She put her hands to my face to draw me to her. "Oh, my Thomas…"

The echo of those words from the previous night gave me goosebumps. _My_ Thomas. She might as well have come out and said it. 

_she loves me_

Our passionate kiss was interrupted by a knock on the door and a "Room Service!". We both cracked up, and she quickly threw on a bathrobe before opening the door. I heard a few indistinct words, the door closing, and security latches being reset. 

Lyekka rolled the breakfast cart into the bedroom, retrieved a small item off its lower shelf and tossed it to me. Condoms.

"Your brand, right?"

Roaring with laughter, I got up, grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back to the bed, both of us howling with glee.

"Pudding first, darling, that's what I always say!"

\----

After making love again and taking a quick shower, we got dressed, me in my formal clothes, minus the bowtie, she in skinny black leather trousers and a blood-red silk shirt. I fondly wished I had other garments, but those were the breaks. I fleetingly thought about briefly going home to change and rejected the notion. I didn't want to say goodbye. Ever.

"So, um, when can I see you again?"

"I'm off to Berlin this evening, but I should be back in London in a few weeks…!"

I wrinkled my nose. "I'm attending a premiere at Cannes in a couple of months - remember that movie I told you about? The one I had to learn to play the lute and violin for? That one." I gazed at her hopefully. "Is there any way we can, um, get together again before then?"

She held out her hand. "Your phone, please?"

I blinked at the non sequitur. "Er, what?" I dug my phone out of my pocket and handed it to her. She selected Contacts and tapped furiously for a minute or so.

"There! My mobile numbers - I have two, please use the first one unless I'm not picking up at all - and my coordinates in Montreal and Berlin. Oh, one more thing…" She took a selfie and associated it with her contact information before handing me back the phone.

"Thank you! Um, would you like my number as well?"

She smiled and closed one eye. "It's 075__ _____. I memorized it. But if it makes you feel better…" She entered my info into her own phone, complete with a quick photo of me. "All set!"

I raised my eyebrows at her and said nothing. She stood on tiptoe and kissed me. "I'll make the time. Are you free in April?"

I laughed delightedly. "As a matter of fact, I am!"

"Cool, then I'll be back in London sometime in April. Um, you're likely to get a faster answer if you text me first - if I'm training or rehearsing, I don't pick up, obviously, and if I'm in the middle of a thing in the lab, I also don't pick up, unless my hands are free."

I frowned. "How do I know whether it's okay to text or call if I don't know where you are?"

She giggled. "I don't sleep much. Chances are, you'll catch me at least vaguely awake no matter what."

I took her in my arms and kissed her. "Let's start with that, then. Lunch?"

She threw on a small leather jacket, grabbed my hand, and headed for the door. "By all means!"

_This was going to be a singular relationship…_

\-----------------------------------

Jenny's face had "Awwwwww!" written all over it. 

"...and you've been together ever since...that's wonderful!"

Lyekka smiled. "The odds we'd both be in that coffee shop that day were vanishingly small, and yet there we were." 

"When we finally went on our dance date, it was quite lovely."

She squeezed my hand, and I took hers and brought it to my lips as she went on. "Two years later, it still is. It was like we'd danced together for years. If nothing else, we'd still have that ineffable chemistry you only find with your perfect dance partner."

Jenny was melting. "I wish I could be around you two more...so romantic! Is it like that in your daily life as well?"

Lyekka and I exchanged a glance and cracked up. "Ehehehehehe! Yeah, I guess it is."

"Gee, Tom, you make it sound so...solemn! We just have a lot of fun together, and if that's romantic, then yeah, it is."

Jenny smiled excitedly. "Tell me more!"


	6. We Just Sort Of Hang Out

Jenny smiled excitedly. "Tell me more!"

Lyekka grinned, and gently tapped the side of my leg, out of Jenny's line of sight. I took my cue.

"Ah, well, it depends a bit on whether or not I'm on coffee duty that day. If not, I'll go for an early run before breakfast, weather permitting." _Or get my exercise a much more exciting way..._

Lyekka spoke up. "I'm usually working no matter what, either on my project, on dance matters, or just puttering around."

"Ehehehehe! It's very handy to have an engineer around the house! She repairs everything -"

"Except plumbing. I don't really do plumbing. I'm software, not hardware."

I stared at her, grinning like a madman and bouncing in my seat. "Oh oh oh oooh you _lie!_ You fixed the dryer, the sticky rear door to the garden, the dead wifi router, the cracked sconce in the hallway, you installed the new living room AV system…"

She bit her lip and chuckled. "And yet you won't let me work on your car…!"

I smooched her temple. "It's a Jaguar, it doesn't need "work"…!"

She turned to Jenny. "Okay, maybe not. I'm a bit compulsive that way. I see something that's askew, I have to fix it. Not big stuff, just...annoying things."

Jenny nodded, smiling. "Like crooked picture frames."

Lyekka chuckled. "Oh, you have no idea."

I chimed in. "I do - and I'm relatively certain you've run out of stuff to straighten out or repair, which is good, right?"

Lyekka smirked at me. "Yeah, at your house maybe - wanna come over later and help out at my house?"

Jenny raised an eyebrow at me. "Tom, you walked right into that one!"

"Yes, I did. Ehehehehe! Um, what else? We like to watch movies together, the whole blanket and popcorn event…"

"Hahahahahahaha! Unless we go out - we don't bring our blankets to the cinema, that would be a bit weird."

I turned to her with a wink. "What else do we do?"

She nodded imperceptibly. "Laundry. Except it's not a "we" thing, most of the time."

I went along. "Oh shit, not the laundry…!"

"Yeah. Jenny, you're going to love this! He's sort of not allowed to wash clothes when I'm around. He had a little bitty laundry incident, and I barred him from laundry because of it."

"What happened?"

I made a show of holding my head in my hands, giggling and turning red. "Oh gods..."

"It happened at my place, actually, but, um, I'd just bought a really nice set of black satin sheets, and he washed them in hot water and put them in the dryer on high. They never fit the mattress again. So he's banned from doing laundry."

I looked at her fondly. "To be fair, you let me wash clothes under adult supervision from time to time…" _Including your dainties...sorry if you're missing a pair or three..._

She pecked my cheek. "You got better - you read the labels now, at least…"

Jenny glanced down at her notes. "I sense a bit of, I don't want to say competition between the two of you, but it's obvious you're both very driven individuals. Does that get in the way every so often?"

"Not really. I'm good at some things, she's good at other things, and there's just enough overlap for us to feel comfortable about it. We have a nice broad slate of talent, between the two of us."

Lyekka laughed. "Well, I can dance. He can dance his ass off too, so that's very cool."

"She's an engineer, so she can do all sorts of complicated maths, sometimes just in her head. It's frightening. She's taught me a few tricks so I'm a bit better at it than I was, but she can run laps around everyone I've ever met."

"I can't sing to save my ass. It's not my preferred means of expression - between dancing and my engineering focus, it's all non-verbal. Singing is very unnatural to me. I don't even whistle. He thinks that's strange."

I smiled warmly at her. "To be fair, you've let me drag you out to karaoke with our friends more than once. You're a very good sport about it."

She squeezed my hand and returned the grin. "How can I say no when you ask nicely?"

Jenny chuckled. "You two…!"

Lyekka eyed me sideways. "What else do we not compete about?"

I closed one eye. "Hmm. I drive very well. I was decent at it, but then a stunt driver friend gave me high-performance driving lessons, and I can make a car safely do all kinds of interesting things. I know how to drift even!"

"Which friend, The Stig? Didn't realize you spent that much time on your _Top Gear_ spot…"

"Ehehehehehehe! No! Deej showed me how." I turned back to Jenny. "He's one of my event drivers. Good pilot."

Lyekka elbowed me in the arm. "So how come you've never shown _me?_ "

I looked down my nose at her. "Oh dear, not in the _Jag_ , darling!" _Well, not_ that _in the Jag..._

She pouted and stuck just the tip of her tongue out before thinking the better of it. "Right. Oh, okay, got one - I learned to dive for pearls on a sabbatical a while back…"

"What? You never told me that!"

"No, I told you I can hold my breath under water for close to five minutes - I just never told you why I can or how I learned."

I blinked hard. "Wow. Um, okay, I need to top that somehow...Let me think...Ehehehehe…"

Lyekka leaned towards Jenny, giggling. "Like I said, we're not at all competitive..."

"Hey, I can fence…!"

Lyekka went on. "...and I know twelve ways to kill a man with a rolled-up newspaper. Hahahahahaha! Not quite. But I've never learned to fence, or use any bladed weapons. Bryan has been training him in Eskrima for quite a while now, and he could carve you up with a toothpick. It's very disturbing." 

I laughed along, delighted. "It has the advantage of being easier to carry than the newspaper."

_Or, you know, you can cover yourself with weapons and see what happens._

\--------------------------------------

The metal detector went off. Lyekka rolled her eyes.

"Dammit, I should have packed ceramic blades. Since when do they have metal detectors at parties?"

I stared at her. "What blades? You're fucking _armed_?"

The security guard at the entrance gate made a "c'mon" gesture, then pointed to the table where guests could deposit objectionable belongings. She walked towards it, obviously annoyed.

"Sorry, I didn’t think security would be this tight. I'm sorry."

"Wait a minute - every time we go out, you're _armed_?" I couldn't fucking believe it. 

"I _said_ I was sorry!" She put two small nasty-looking knives in a box.

I was fuming. People were starting to gather, and she was acting like it was no big deal. "I asked you a question!"

She turned around with three more small knives in her hands. "Yeah, sort of. No. Sometimes. Every once in a while. Rarely." She put the blades in the box. The guard snickered. I threw up my hands and walked off.

"Tom - Tom, wait. _TOM!_ "

I stopped, turned around, shook my head. "This is not fucking cool, Lee. Not cool at all. I don't even know what the fuck to do right now." I only called her Lee when I was exasperated with her, which was exceedingly rare, but right now she was pushing all the wrong buttons. And I knew what she could do with those blades...

The guard was running a wand over her. Mercifully, it didn’t go off. He held up both his hands to another guard - with eight fingers up.

Lyekka looked at him crossways. "Do I get a receipt for those?"

The second guard walked up to her and pointed towards the gate. "No. But you can try going through again, if you still have a date…" He looked amused - she was not, murder in her eyes. She spotted me still standing there, and lowered her gaze.

"I'm sorry, Tom, I really am."

"Would you _please_ fucking behave before you get arrested?"

She walked towards me. I reflexively took a step back. She stopped four feet away from me.

"Alright. Look, I'm really sorry. It's not how I planned to spend the evening."

"This may come as a shock to you, but neither did I." 

She shuffled her feet. "I know."

I shook my head and held out my hand without looking at her. "Please tell me what's in that box over there is everything you brought with you."

"No, it’s not. But the only one I have left is the non-metallic one I'm wearing around my neck. He didn't take it, I'm not giving it up."

I rolled my eyes. "You are fucking unbelievable. Are you coming with me or not?"

She took my hand. "Tom, I'm sorry." We walked towards the gate together. I stopped just before we went through again and faced her.

"When we get home, _if_ I get un-pissed off enough to _take_ you home, we're going to have words."

She didn't dare smile, but the glint in her eyes spoke volumes. "Fair enough."

 

_To be fair enough, she's calmed down since..._

\--------------------------------------

Jenny glanced at her notes. "Sounds like you two have a lovely time together. Do you ever argue…?"

Luke discreetly cleared his throat. I repressed the urge to turn around, and patted Lyekka's knee.

"Not really...ehehehehehe! Although I'm never going back to IKEA with her - the last time I did, it took two years off my life…"

Lyekka went along, smiling. "Yeah, I kind of went overboard with the whole furniture thing there...When I bought a flat in London and needed to outfit it, he was a good sport to let me drag him into every furniture store on the planet, but um IKEA is a really dangerous place for me to shop, because I'm a complete design nerd and I went into turbo overdrive and wanted to buy everything in sight - which I can afford, by the way, it wasn't about that. But I spent way more time in there than I had planned on, and when we got home, he just sort of threw up his hands and announced he was done."

"She ended up getting a lot of her new kit from other stores, but her kitchen is 100% IKEA. I'm pretty certain there are secret passages in it. So there's the happy ending! But never again...ehehehehehehe! I can't even look at catalogues anymore…"

Jenny nodded. "I recall reading a small news item about that, what, a year ago? It got some wags' tongues running…"

I shrugged. "To be honest, I was happy that it didn't stay on anyone's radar very long...Like we said, it's not like we've been hiding…" I shot a quick glance at Luke over my shoulder, and was reassured to see him smile.

Jenny went on. "Who decides what on date night?"

"Hahahahahahahaha! Well, we negotiate everything to within an inch of its life...not. It usually boils down to new movies at the cinema, old movies at home, the latter with popcorn and blankets and the works. I like horror and sci-fi flicks, he likes musicals and comedies...we're all over the map, so we take turns, like making coffee in the morning. It's easier."

"It's really interesting to watch movies with her, because she picks up on completely different things, and we often have in-depth conversations about whatever we watched. It expands my horizons."

Jenny nodded. "Can you give me an example?"

Lyekka squinted. "Oh, how about _Singin' In The Rain?_ He sings along to all the songs, I'm completely mesmerized by Gene Kelly because just wow, and I'm sitting there deconstructing the choreography of the casino dance scene with Cyd Charisse and he's tapping his feet and whistling and having a completely different awesome time."

"Ehehehe! That's a really good example, actually - we tried to dance that scene in the studio a few weeks later, keeping the fun going…"

Jenny's eyes went wide. "Really? Wow! How was that?"

Lyekka chuckled. "We pretty much nailed it, after a couple of full days' practice...He's ridiculously tall, but I can compensate." _And the warm-down was something else altogether…_

Jenny made a quick note on her card and went on. "Ever watch one of Tom's movies together?"

Lyekka and I turned to each other and dissolved into giggles. Jenny waited patiently for us to catch our breaths.

"Hahahahahahahaha! Ah, yeah, sort of…"

"Ehehehehehe! You tell it."

Lyekka straightened up in her seat and took my arm. "Okay - here's the thing: there's a certain amount of fangirling involved, and it's quite outside my control at times. We watched _Henry IV Part I_ together earlier this year, and, well, it was funny."

"She pointed out that not everyone gets to watch it with one of the leads providing live commentary, so I went along. She'd seen it many times, of course, but not with me around until then. And I realized in the first five minutes we weren't going to get to the end of it."

"I, um, I sort of forgot he was in the room…"

I turned to Lyekka and pecked her cheek. "I'm vaguely insulted by that…"

Jenny was hanging on the edge of her seat. "What happened…?"

Lyekka went on. "I, er, sort of heckled the screen a lot…"

"Ehehehehehehe! A _lot_. She basically yells "dickhead!" at the screen every ten seconds. I walk into Falstaff's room, "dickhead!" because I'm taller than the door. I wrinkle my nose, "dickhead!". I run my hand through my hair, "dickhead!" And the funny part is, she has no idea she's doing it, and when I call her on it, she stares at me like I just accused her of murdering my mum."

Jenny doubled over with laughter. "Oh my! That's hilarious!"

Lyekka nodded vigorously. "Actually, yeah, it is. And I'm fine with it - I honestly was not running my mouth, it was doing it by itself!"

I freed my arm and put it across her shoulders. "Once we settled down, we really enjoyed it. Sometimes it's hard for me to watch my own work, because I know all the places where I screwed up or could have done it better, and doing a running commentary took my mind off that. I'm very proud of those plays, mind you."

_But that wasn't the most surprising occurrence that evening. By far._

\------------------------------------------

One last free night before the BAFTA weekend festivities, and Lyekka had just arrived in London, tired but happy. I had dinners and galas the rest of the long weekend, plus the awards show proper, but tonight...tonight was a good night to cuddle and watch a movie. After flipping coins and drawing straws, we had decided on _Henry IV Part I_ , complete with Lyekka alternately mumbling and yelling at the screen, in maximum fangirl mode. As tired as she was, she was alert and in a good mood, although it quickly became obvious she wasn't aware she was doing anything, and I realized how strange and wonderful it was that the love of my life was also a fan. 

She had asked me for some behind-the-scenes tidbits, and I was happy to oblige. Between her comments and mine, we were having a ball! We were a bit quieter during the scenes in which I didn't appear, of course, until the end of Act III, Scene 2. 

_Here the lady sings a Welsh song,_ is how it's written in the text.

Lyekka sat up, her legs folded under her, took a slow, deep breath, and sang along. _Lisa Lân._ Crystal clear tones, soaring notes...a heart-wrenching lover's plea to his dead Fair Lisa to guide him to the afterlife so they can be reunited...

She gently took my hand and closed her eyes as she began the second verse, her tone warming up further still as my tears flowed freely...my heart aching, overflowing with love for this woman who had shined so much light into my life, and who casually sang for me with the voice of an archangel…I lowered my head, hanging on to every word...

_...hiraeth mawr am Lisa Lân...great longing for Lisa Lân…_

She squeezed my hand as the song ended. "...Tom...are you okay…?"

I managed to smile though my tears. "Ha! Yes, I'm okay. Lyekka…" I met her gaze. "Where did that come from…?!? I've heard you sing a few times, you have a fine voice, but this…"

She paused the playback. "Well, after visiting you that weekend in Nashville, I wanted to get a handle on what you were putting yourself through for _I Saw The Light,_ so um I took some voice lessons. Strictly for science, you understand."

I stared at her, wide-eyed. "You _are _a maniac...and please don't joke about it. That was...the most beautiful song I've ever heard. And you sang it perfectly, gods…"__

__She smiled shyly. "I'm glad you liked it." She pulled me closer and kissed me._ _

__We didn't make it to the end of the play._ _

__\------------------------------------------_ _

__Jenny grinned. "Any plans to attend one of your premieres together…?"_ _

__Lyekka and I stared at each other and giggled helplessly. I came up for air first._ _

__"Ah, yeah, possibly later this year. Nothing firmed up yet, though. You understand. My schedule is booked solid until the end of the year…"_ _

__Lyekka jumped in. "But if we do, I hereby promise I'll do my best to not heckle you!"_ _


	7. Twenty Questions

Jenny glanced at her watch. "Shall we take a quick break? Fifteen minutes, perhaps? Time enough to stretch, and I'll fetch our photographer…!"

Luke spoke up for the first time. "That'd be fine, Jenny, thank you! Kids, see you back here in fifteen!" He and Nell stood up and filed out of the conference room. I patted Lyekka's arm.

"Do you want some tea? I could use some tea…"

Jenny smiled and signaled her assistant, who had appeared the second Luke and Nell had left. "I'll take care of it!"

Lyekka stood up and held out her hand to me. "Um, one more thing?"

Jenny pointed at the hallway. "The facilities are down that way."

I took Lyekka's hand and unfolded myself from my seat. "Thank you, Jenny!"

We walked out of the room, and Jenny took off in another direction. Lyekka shot me one of those glances, the kind I felt all over my body but especially in my nethers, followed by that familiar predatory grin that was usually a prelude to mischief. Nearing the restrooms, she released my hand and eased me up against the corridor wall.

"You look tense, love…"

Yeah, with a nascent hard-on in a very public place… "Behave, love…" Her eyes were almost level with mine, her lips irresistible...I pulled her to me with a hand on her hip and kissed her deeply...bad idea, but my head was already swimming...her breath caught, and she rolled her hips against me. 

_this is a really bad idea and I don't care_

"Ahhhh, not a chance...you need help with that…?" 

I caught her hand before she could press it against my crotch, and squeezed it hard. " _Vade retro me,_ O Satan…"

I quickly ducked my head into the men's, nobody in there, so I pulled Lyekka in with me and made for the farthest stall. She closed and latched the door and set her back against it, biting her lip and eyeing my straining cock.

"Three minutes... _ni vu, ni connu_ …" She undid my trousers as she spoke. "Maybe four…"

I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. "Take me to heaven, _dà uair…_ "

And she did, oh gods...her wicked tongue, her nimble lips, and that indescribable _thing_ she did with her throat... It was like getting sucked off twice at the same time, and it never took very long...As I got closer, I clamped one hand over my mouth, savoring every motion and sound, my eyes rolling into the back of my head…

...at the last second, she grabbed my arse with one hand and took me all the way down... _fuck..._

"HMPH OHHHhhhhhhh Lyekkaaaaaaaaaaaaa…"

I slid a couple of inches down the wall while she finished me off, catching my breath, enjoying the waning bolts of electricity running through my body. She gently dried me off and tucked me back into my trousers, pecked me on the cheek, and hugged me.

"Feel better, Tommy?"

I opened my eyes and focused on her face with some difficulty. "Gods, yes, Lyekka…! Thank you, love, that was...very stimulating!"

"Hahahaha! Meet you outside in a minute then?"

Just as she was poised to open the stall door, someone entered the loo. She grinned at me, eyes wide, and covered her mouth with both hands, barely stifling her giggles. I did the same - two kids trying to not get caught red-handed with the cookie jar, and then some. Whoever it was did their business mercifully quickly, and after counting to ten for good luck, Lyekka sneaked out. I finished putting myself back together, and exited the restroom. A couple of minutes later, she emerged from the ladies' with a very mischievous smile. I took her hand and kissed it.

"Shall we get back to the conference room, my dear? Tea will have been served by now…"

She put one hand on my shoulder and kissed me. I pulled her a bit closer with one hand on her hip, and we stood there, our foreheads touching, eyes closed, shutting out the rest of the world for one more precious minute. She reluctantly let go, and we walked back to the conference room hand in hand. Luke and Nell were already there, availing themselves of the tea tray. I waited for Nell to be done and went about making two cups. Luke watched me as if he'd never seen anyone make tea, and smirked.

"What?"

He shook his head, amused. "I think I know you too well by now, mate."

"What?"

He glanced at Lyekka, who must have made a face or blown him a kiss because he broke out laughing. "I wash my hands of you two, Tom. Just...try to behave the rest of the day, aight?"

Jenny and the photographer entered the room just as I was handing Lyekka her tea. "Ah, here we are! Tom, you've met Reg...Lee, this is Reg." Everyone shook hands, and Reg set up and began shooting right away. Jenny resumed her seat.

"Shall we play 20 questions?"

I glanced at Luke over my shoulder and smiled at Jenny. "Of course!"

Lyekka smirked. "I'll time him so we're not here til midnight, if that'll help…"

Jenny shuffled her cards and settled on her first question. "Okay, so, Lee, you might show up at a premiere of one of Tom's films. Do you have a favourite character of his?"

Lyekka thought about it for a few seconds. "Well, whatever he's working on at the time usually ends up at the top of my list, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention how completely blown away I was at _Coriolanus._ I saw it eight times, and he was simply amazing. I'm still pinching myself, to be honest."

"She made the trip back into town to catch the premiere evening - that was a lot of fun! I was nervous, but then again I always am, that's how I get in the right headspace. But I'm glad she loved it."

"How about you, Tom? Do you have a favorite performance of hers?"

Lyekka began speaking, then thought better of it. I was pretty sure she knew which one I was going to bring up - or at least which one I thought I could even mention.

"Ehehehe! Actually, there is! We went to a summer party a while back, and she excused herself and came back with a troupe of five, juggling lit torches and breathing fire. I was gobsmacked - and needless to say, she was brilliant!" 

_That actually happened...but there was that_ other _night…_

\----------------------------------------------------

A weekend stop in Montreal on my way to London from the _Crimson Peak_ shoot in Toronto. Tired but elated, I looked forward to spending a few days with Lyekka in the city she sometimes called home. 

Gary had collected me at the train station late in the afternoon, and invited me to a get-together that same evening.

"Do you have any plans for tonight? The band and I are holding court at a little private club, you should join us!"

"Sounds like a good time - who's going to be there?"

"If by that you mean 'is Lee going to be there', then yes. She's invited, of course. She was pretty busy today - she's meeting us there."

"Ehehehe! Great! Ah, what's the occasion?"

"Well, you're in town, for starters. Plus we all get together every couple of months and sort of test out new stuff - songs, poetry, jams, pretty much a free-for-all. It's all very informal. If you want to do a scene from _Henry IV_ , that's fine too - or you can do nothing at all. We need spectators too, you know!"

"Alright, you talked me into it!"

After dropping off my luggage at Gary's house and getting into fresh clothes following a much-needed shower, I hopped back in the car with Gary for the short drive to the club. We stopped on the way for a quick bite to go, and by the time we arrived, the band was already there, assorted with various spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, and other crew. As far as I could tell, about fifty people were there, plus the staff. I took a few minutes to shake hands and say hello.

No sign of Lyekka.

The front part of the room featured a small stage, with a short flat ramp extending from its center. Gary offered me a seat at the table at the end of the ramp, and sat next to me.

"Everything's on the house, so don't be shy. If we can't make your drink, it doesn't exist!"

"Ehehehe! Um, iced vodka works for me!"

Gary signalled one of the staff, a pretty brunette, and our drinks appeared almost immediately. I drank mine and scanned the room again, to no avail.

"Where the hell is she?"

Gary smirked. "She should be here any minute - she mentioned she was working on something, not quite sure what..."

I frowned. "Oh really."

"Relax, she'll be here! Enjoy the show...we're getting started!"

A couple of drinks, a few songs from the band, Gary keeping the shots coming for everyone, and…

Lyekka emerged from a partially hidden entrance on the far side of the stage, spotted me immediately, and made her way over to greet me.

"Tommy!! So happy to see you! How was your trip?" She sat on my knee and pecked my cheek. I wrapped my hands around her waist and pulled her closer to kiss her properly.

"It was fine - and it just got better! What are you up to?"

She stood up and smiled. "Oh, nothing - just a little thing I wanted to run past you, if that's okay…"

I stared at her, wide-eyed. "Um, sure, of course…! What…"

She bit her lip and winked at Gary, then walked back towards the stage entrance and disappeared. What the fuck…?

Gary drained his shot, called for a bottle, smirked at me, and rose from his seat. "I'm up - be back in a minute!" He climbed the few steps up onto the stage, where Robbie and Kevin were already tuning up on bass and drums, respectively. Robbie stuck his tongue out at me, and I sank my shot. A full bottle materialized next to me as the three began to play.

_Oh fuck._

I recognized the song immediately - _After Dark,_ from the _From Dusk Til Dawn_ soundtrack. Salma Hayek's scene. Gary took the lead vocal as well as the guitar part.

_Watching her_  
_Strolling in the night_  
_So white_  
_Wondering why_  
_It's only after dark_

Lyekka appeared on the stage, seemingly out of nowhere, topless, a metallic bikini bottom barely covering her arse, and ground her hips lasciviously to the slow beat. My cock twitched appreciatively, even as she wrapped herself around Gary as much as she could without hindering his playing. He didn’t acknowledge her, but instead looked straight at me with that fucking poker face of his, smacking of _you can't have her - not yet -_

_In her eyes_  
_A distant firelight_  
_Burns bright_  
_Wondering why_  
_It's only after dark_

Lyekka danced around the small stage, rubbing herself on Robbie before looking out into the audience for the first time, and locked eyes with me, sending bolts of electricity through my groin. _Fucking tease._

_I find myself in her room_  
_Feel the fever of my doom_  
_Falling falling through the floor_  
_I'm knocking on the devil's door yeah_

Very slowly, she made her way from the stage to the end of the ramp near my seat, gyrating sensuously, never breaking eye contact. She brushed her breasts and stuck her tongue out at me, taking forever to cross the fifteen feet or so of the ramp. 

_In the dawn_  
_I wake up to_  
_Find her gone_  
_And the note says_  
_"Only after dark"_

She walked onto my table and stopped, flashing that smile full of fangs I knew meant trouble. I licked my lips nervously, and reached for the vodka bottle - only to realize she'd beaten me to it. Her eyes never leaving mine, she raised her foot to my mouth, her big toe barely brushing my lower lip, and poured a shot down her shin. I swallowed what I could, so rapt I almost forgot to drink. She looked so beautiful, feral, wild…

_Burning burning in the flame_  
_Now I know her secret name_  
_You can tear her temple down_  
_But she'll be back and rule again yeah_

She crouched down to her haunches, her knees apart, and I caught her scent as she took a long pull out of the bottle, put one hand to my face to tilt my head back and open my mouth, and released a double shot down my throat from just above my lips. I ached for her, I wanted to kiss her, I wanted to fuck her right then and there...

_In my heart_  
_A deep and dark and_  
_Lonely part_  
_Wants her_  
_And waits for after dark_  
_After dark_  
_After dark_  
_After dark_

She pushed me back into my seat, rose as the song ended and strolled seductively towards the stage exit, never looking back, as cheers and applause broke out. I sat there thunderstruck, until I saw Gary grinning at me and fleetingly glancing at and cocking his head in the general direction of where Lyekka had disappeared.

I realized then that I had the perfect excuse to leave the table - the front of my jacket and shirt was soaked with vodka. "Excuse me, please, sorry, I'll be right back...thanks…" I doubt I fooled anyone, but I really didn't care. I made towards the loo, but changed directions at the last minute and ducked backstage.

Not a soul there except for Lyekka.

She stood with her back to me, dressed only in a vaporous white shift that did nothing to hide her gorgeous body. I cleared my throat, and she turned around slowly and licked her lips. I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to me, not gently.

"You are such a _fucking tease…_ "

She opened her mouth but said nothing. I cupped her neck with one hand and kissed her hard, muffling her whimpers, a tide of lust rising between us. I dropped my other hand to her quim, wet two fingers in her musk, and brought them up to her lips to lick.

"Taste your sin, my divine whore…"

She fumbled with my belt and fly as she sucked on my fingers. I helped her as best I could, torn between my desire to tease her back and my need to bury myself in her. She dropped to her knees the instant my cock was free, and swirled her tongue around the head. I pulled her up and grabbed a handful of her hair.

"Oh no no no...you already _got_ what you wanted…me, hard as nails..." 

I took myself in hand, and stroked my cock slowly, lazily. I bent her head down to make her watch me.

"Now give me what _I_ want, Lyekka."

She licked her lips and nodded hungrily. I picked her up and slammed her against the nearest wall, pressing her hard, just long enough to ease myself in, eliciting gasps and moans from us both. I thrust into her a few times, enough to get her really revved up, then carried her a few feet to a dressing table, and deposited her roughly, slipping out of her. The sassy little beast actually growled at me, her hands grabbing at my shoulders while I pushed my trousers to the floor.

"I want to watch you - in the mirror. Turn around, love."

She sneered at me at first, and I thought she was going to put up a fight, but she merely pouted and complied, throwing the tail of her shift to one side, then setting one knee on the table, gazing intently at her reflection. I stood behind her, slid the head of my cock all along her slit, then sank into her inch by inch. We finally made eye contact in the mirror, and a throaty moan escaped her lips.

I covered her mouth with one hand and leaned in close to purr in her ear. "Shhhh...shhhhhh...it's bad enough everyone out there knows what we're doing...they don't need to hear it too…shhhhhh..."

Her eyes widened, then rolled back...she looked like she was about to faint, and I swear she got even more wet...I picked up the rhythm, fucking her mercilessly. Braced against the table, she met my every stroke, and I let go of her mouth to anchor myself on her hips, watching her skin flush as she got closer...

...sharp inhales, her hand reaching back to grab my bare arse, mine snaking around to her quim to thumb her clit...

...eye contact in the mirror again, and that did it…

"...Lyekka…"

...she came so hard on my cock, her cunt squeezing all of me at once... _fuck,_ nothing else but _this…_

...I emptied myself into her, grunting in her ear, my teeth grazing her skin, out of breath…

_I love you_

I wrapped my arms around her and softly kissed the back of her neck, her eyes still on me in the mirror, quiet little sighs and whimpers...so beautiful, so _meant to be..._ I grinned at her reflection, sated and happy. She caught her breath and returned my smile. 

"Oh _gods_ , Thomas, that was SO totally worth it!! So, you _did_ like the dance..."

I stared at her in disbelief. "You're _insane!_ All this work just to seduce me _one night…!_ "

She chuckled. "Like I said - _totally_ worth it."

 

_Talk about pumping up a guy's ego..._

\----------------------------------------------------

Lyekka shot me a significant glance. She knew exactly what was on my mind. "He's only saying that because I was strapped into a leather bra and shorts at the time."

I blushed beet red, and put one arm down across my lap in what I hoped was an artfully absent-minded gesture. 

"Oh, were you? I didn't notice…" I caught Jenny checking me out, which didn't help. "Seriously, she was very good! And I had no idea before I saw her show that she could even juggle, never mind spit fire!"

Lyekka patted my shoulder. "Why, thank you, sir."

Jenny changed tacks, saving me. "Lee, you like to show off. You've made a number of public appearances in extravagant clothes. Do you work with a stylist?"

Lyekka smiled warmly. "I work with a couple of designer friends of mine, and I design some of my clothes, which are really more like costumes...I do like to be the center of attention, and I've put in and continue to put in hard time to keep this bod finely tuned, so don't mind me when I use it as a weapon. It's on my terms or nothing at all. But I do love to dress up, and I love tall heels just as much. Pretty handy when your boyfriend is seven and a half feet tall!"

Jenny laughed. "Of the two of you, who has the better bum?"

We answered simultaneously, cracking up Luke and Nell behind us. "I do." "She does."

Jenny continued on. "Tom's done a number of nude scenes - how do you feel about that?"

"We don't discuss his artistic choices - that's strictly his deal. He knows his job better than I ever could. But it would be a crime to not show off a bum that's almost as nice as mine, don't you think?"

My face burning again, I jumped in. "This from the woman who says she'll look better in size 8 leather leggings once she's three pounds lighter…"

Lyekka pecked my cheek. "This from the man who literally has to be sewn into his clothes, and who wouldn't eat dessert for a week before a nude love scene…"

"Ehehehehe! That's a fair cop, love!"

Jenny checked off something on one of her cards. "Lee, do you give Tom style advice?"

"Hahahaha! Gods no, he has people for that. When we go out in an official capacity, we do coordinate our wardrobes so I don’t show up wearing steampunk if he's in a tux, but other than that, no. Probably the most controversial instruction I've ever given him was how to cook my eggs." _Not even close, but…_

I took her hand. "Over easy, pinch of cracked pepper, no salt." 

"Correct!"

"She buys me crazy socks, which no one has ever done for me. Does that count as style advice? It's really nice to get small packages of goodies like that while I'm away working!"

"We sort of trade - he buys me trinkets everywhere he goes, so I have a lot of souvenirs from places I haven't visited yet. It's very cool."

Jenny smiled. "It is indeed! Let's see...name one thing you didn't expect from hanging out with each other?"

"Oh, that's easy - I know way more about hockey than I probably should…!" _And gambling, but I'm not mentioning_ that...

"Hmm...I skipped out on Shakespeare when I was in school, so I'm getting caught up with that, and wishing I'd done so earlier, but no time like the present!"

"Who cooks?"

"He does. He's a very good cook."

"She is too, but she usually does something absurdly spectacular and invites tons of friends and it's all everyone talks about for weeks - a couple of times a year."

"Such as?"

"A seven course Asian supper for twenty, all made from scratch. I couldn't believe it!"

"Wow! That's very impressive indeed - and it reminds me of something you've said in previous interviews, Tom. You've stated that your superpower is getting a full English breakfast hot on the table all at the same time. Lee, what's your superpower?"

Lyekka blinked hard. "Oh, that's a good question...Um, I have to think about that one…"

I turned to her. "Mind if I…"

She grinned at me. "No, go right ahead!"

"She knows where everything is. It's frightening. I can be anywhere in the house - hers or mine - and I never get to finish the question "have you seen…?" because she answers it immediately, and she's never wrong."

"Hahahaha! Yeah, well, it's something we have in common - a prodigious memory. It manifests itself a bit differently between the two of us, but yeah."

Jenny smiled. "What else do you have in common that you'd say is unusual?"

"We both read freakishly fast. It's kind of weird."

"I've seen her read an entire page at a glance and spit out a short - and accurate - abstract of it 20 minutes later. I think it's very cool!"

"I've helped him run lines on the rare occasions I was around when he was learning a part, and his recall is phenomenal! I'm better with technical text, but he run circles around me with theater plays and poetry. Also very cool."

Jenny said "I was about to ask you if you help him run lines. Has Tom ever helped you rehearse?"

Lyekka smiled. "Again, when the occasion presented itself, yes. Lots of fun!"

"I've not visited her at the lab, but I'd love to. We've had rehearsal sessions in the dance studio whenever we can - her process is surprisingly similar to mine in terms of analysis and creation, but she's much more physical, perforce. Lots of fun to watch and get involved!" _And those warm-downs..._

Jenny made a quick note. "Sounds to me like you're drift compatible…!"

"Totally!" "Yes!" General laughter all around. _Yes, we are...you have no idea..._

Jenny went on. "Something fun to do together?"

Lyekka beamed. "He reads to me. It's wonderful. He does all the voices, and I mentioned his powers of recall? He'll recite half a page from memory while he plays all the characters in a story. Very impressive!"

I returned her smile. "Lately, we've done the crossword puzzle together. She has a couple of favourite online newspapers, and sometimes it's in English, sometimes in French...between the two of us, we're rarely stumped. And it's a neat little break to take during the day, or after supper."

Jenny was in "awww" mode again. "That's so lovely! Anything else you don't mind sharing?"

I chuckled. "We have entire conversations made of lines of dialogue from movies! It's pretty hilarious - and anyone who listens in to one of those would have no idea what's going on or what we're talking about. I love that!"

Jenny laughed. "And what does that sound like?"

Lyekka jumped in, looking me right in the eye. "You have a lovely bottom, blue eyes...I think I love you!"

"You're right, you do…!" I pecked her cheek and turned back to Jenny. "Ehehehehehehehehe! Straight out of _Yellowbeard_. It doesn't have to be high art!"

Jenny continued on. "What's the worst movie you're watched that the other picked?"

"She's not allowed to watch _Scott Pilgrim Vs The World_ while I'm around. To this day, I have no idea how anyone can stand that movie!"

"Hahahaha! Hmm, let's see...he actually has really refined and lucid tastes in movies, and off the top, I can't recall something he made me watch that I wish I hadn't seen. He's a little pushy about Disney movies sometimes, but that's about it!"

I stared at Lyekka in feigned outrage. "Heretic!"

"Oh pffft."

"What's something that gives you pause about one another?"

I had to think about that for a minute. "Ehehehehehe! Ah, she surfs. In the ocean. There's _sharks_ there!"

Lyekka giggled. "I can't get wrapped around how blond he really is. His hair has been dark for most of our time together, and I think of him as a light brunet. It's strange, but I really shouldn't be surprised, given his protean acting skills…!"

Jenny went on. "I have to agree. Ah - what song do you think of when you think of one another?"

Lyekka leaned to whisper in my ear "The Divinyls' _I Touch Myself_ ", and I almost spit my tea, eyes wide. _Please don't say that out loud…_

"I have a few, but I really love Zero 7's _Destiny_. Nice dreamy track."

I put my cup down. "I have more than one as well, but The Police's _Every Little Thing She Does_ is usually near the top of the list!" _And every song we've ever danced to…_

Jenny smiled. "Any pet peeves?"

I glanced at Luke, who serenely waved me on. "Um, she drinks juice out of the carton, but mercifully, only at her house, not mine. I've learned to not touch the carton on the right side of the top shelf." _I've learned to not give a shit, we have long since acquired all of each other's cooties..._

Lyekka smirked. "To be fair, it's not usually a problem - you're the only one aside from me who just digs into my fridge…!"

"Lee, what's yours?"

"Oh, it's minor, really. He sometimes calls me darling. He calls everyone darling. It's a reflex, and I'd like to think I stand out a bit more than that!"

"Ehehehe! But you have to admit I've got a lot better at not slipping…"

"Absolutely true."

Jenny looked at her watch. "A few more quick questions? Something you admire in each other?"

"His integrity. In his life, his work, the way he treats people...it's made me a better person because he gives me something to aspire to."

I gazed at her fondly. "Her intensity. She lives every moment of her life to the utmost, and although it makes her hard to keep up with at times, it's certainly how I try to live my life as well. It was a bit unexpected as common grounds, to be honest."

Jenny sorted through a few cards. "Indeed! Ah, what's the weirdest thing the other person has done for you…" She interrupted herself and blushed, realizing how it sounded. We all looked at Luke, who was unsuccessfully trying to repress a chuckle. Jenny soldiered on. "...that you can talk about..?"

Lyekka raised one eyebrow, searching for an answer that wouldn't trigger a riot.

_Please don't tell her about the time I put your glass bong in the dishwasher..._

"Um, she's painted my toenails a few times...oddly relaxing, I have to say…bit chemical though..."

Lyekka was still lost in thought, and I managed to keep my internal screaming internal.

_Or that I pierced your left ear..._

"Hmm...let's see…"

_Fuck, anything she says is going to get me hard…_

Lyekka finally surfaced from her memory banks. "I guess...one afternoon, I came back from rehearsal and my legs were incredibly tense, and he ended up having to run a rolling pin over my calves. That did the trick, but I wouldn't have thought of it…! So it's a thing now."

_Considering I can make her come by sucking on her toes, still not helping._


	8. It's A Wrap!

Jenny shuffled her cards again, setting most of them aside. "Ah, what's an ideal date for you two?"

Lyekka giggled. "Pretty much any date we go on - movies, food, dancing, friends, or just the two of us - we simply have a lot of fun together!"

I turned to her and smiled. "You want to tell it?"

"Hahaha! Go ahead!"

I patted her knee and dove in. "Well, one of my favorite date stories happened at a party I went to with a bunch of my friends. She and I had been seeing each other for about five months, and she had already met me at a couple of events and created some commotion."

Lyekka chuckled. "That particular night, I tried to keep it a bit more under the radar."

"She knew where I was going to be that night, but she hadn't told me whether she was going to join me or not. Anyway, I'm sitting with my friends and this drink comes out of nowhere. I tell the server I didn't order it, and she points out a small card that came with it. I read it and start nodding and laughing. My friends just start laughing too, then one asks me what's on the card, and I just pass it over."

"I put that there so he'd know it wasn't a random fan who had spotted him who sent the drink."

"Ehehehehehe! Considering the drink itself, there was a 100% chance it was you who sent it, even without the card, which read "To: Thomas William Fucking Perfect Hiddleston". My friends cracked up. I looked around but didn't see her, so I set off the drink before sinking it."

"It wasn't on the drink menu, but he recognized the presentation because I'd fixed him one at his place."

"The shape of the glass helped. That particular drink contains a bioluminescent molecule that's set off via acoustic shock. I explained that to my friends, who thought I'd lost my mind until I pinged the side of the glass to set it off and the drink started glowing, spreading from the spot where I'd hit the glass all the way throughout the liquid in about 10 seconds. It made a hell of an impression, I can tell you that."

"When I saw the drink light up from across the room, I walked over and he introduced me to his crowd."

"They were fairly dazzled, and not just because of the high-tech drink!"

Jenny focused on Lyekka. "There was a report of an incident at a party a while back, and your name was mentioned in connection with it."

Lyekka smirked and shot Luke a quick glance over her shoulder. I followed her gaze to see Luke wave her on.

"Oh, that one…! Tom…?"

I briefly rolled my eyes at her. "Um, that was an interesting evening. This guy, I can't call him a gent because he was impossibly rude, tried to pick her up at a party. She was actually being nice by ignoring him, but he got in her face, as it were, and she decided to do something about it."

"I can defend myself just fine. I just don't like starting the shit. At all. But I'll finish it if I have to."

"I walked up to her to make sure everything was okay, and the guy's telling her she's too fine to be with anyone else but him, right, and she looks up at him - he's huge, maybe 6'6" - and she smiles this smile full of pointy teeth, I swear. If the guy had been sober, he might have seen it coming, but he was obviously drunk."

"Tom asks me if I need to walk off, and the guy says something like 'Oh, hey, a fucking Brit!' Unrepeatable insults, then he says 'You're about to trade up, honey!' I snapped."

"She kicked his arse. It was all a blur. She grabs his arm, tosses him around - you have to remember this guy's half again her size, easy - and lands him face down on a table with his arm behind his back. The guy looks completely shocked, and it's obvious he's in pain, and she bends down and says to the guy 'Apologize to my boyfriend, BITCH!'"

"And he does."

"She lets him up and the club bouncers show up and cart him off, and everyone all of a sudden acts like nothing happened and we're all cool, right? So she doesn't get in trouble and the guy gets charged with assault." _It probably helped that it happened in one of Gary's clubs, but hey, what are friends for?_

"It made the local news, but without names, so I got a skate on that one. I don't lose my temper often, but he needed to get his ass kicked. Maybe he'll stop picking on women. I can't stand that."

I patted Lyekka's hand. "I've had plenty of stage combat and martial arts training, and I'd never seen anything like it - nor am I completely sure I could have done what you did."

"Yeah, you could, if you were sufficiently motivated."

"Maybe. But it also made me realize you could break me in half if I pissed you off enough."

"Hahahahaha! Not a chance - I have much more interesting ways to fuck with you."

My face burning, I tried to change the subject. "Not all of our dates are that stressful, though. By far. She took me to an amazing restaurant for my birthday this year, nice quiet evening away from paparazzi, it was lovely."

Jenny smiled. "I just realized you've both managed to not swear until just now!"

Lyekka and I dissolved into giggles. "She swears like a sailor - fluently - in something like eight languages. Ehehehehehe! That's much better than what I can lay claim to."

She elbowed me in the side. "Hahahahaha! I have my favorites though - he picked up 'Mother of HELL!!' from me. Mild, but multi-purpose."

"I knew she'd binge-watched too much _Supernatural_ one weekend when every other curse word out of her mouth was 'Balls!!'"

"Don't let him fool you - he can cuss a blue streak, and has on many occasions. He tries not to do it in front of me, but he knows I don't care if he does."

"I don't understand half of what she says when she does - I just blush in support."

"Don’t underestimate the impact of swearing at a bunch of engineers in German! It's worked well for me so far…!"

Jenny turned to Lyekka. "Unfortunately, we're almost out of time. Lee, how about a little something for Tom's fans? Is he a good kisser?"

"Hahahahahahahahaha next question!" She turned around briefly when Luke discreetly cleared his throat. "He's a wonderful kisser. An all-around great boyfriend, really!"

Reg piped up. "Oh, that reminds me…" He called up a photo on his screen. "I snapped this in the corridor - do you want me to use it?"

Lyekka gasped softly. I did too. The shot was backlit from a transom window, and one could make out just enough of our silhouettes to be able to tell who we were. Her hand on my shoulder, mine on her hip, in the split second before we touched foreheads and listened to each other breathe for one more minute. 

She leaned into my shoulder, and I whispered "No." I looked at Reg and Jenny, who were visibly disappointed. "But I'll give you another one!" I smooched Lyekka's cheek, and she giggled. Reg picked up his camera and started shooting as Lyekka tried to tickle me and ended up booping my nose.

"Reg, I'd like to, um, buy that shot from you…"

Jenny spoke up before Reg could answer. "It's on us, Tom - pity we can't use it!"

I glanced over my shoulder, just in time to see Luke nod contentedly.

"Lee, anything else for Tom's fans?"

"He's very cute when he's asleep. And he doesn't snore."

"Ehehe! Except when I have a cold…"

"That was one time. It doesn't count."

I took and squeezed her hand, and saw the mischievous glint in her eyes.

"...and his Scottish brogue is utterly swoon-worthy!"

Jenny chuckled and set her cards aside. "What's next for the two of you?"

"Well, I'm off to Switzerland day after tomorrow to start filming _The Night Manager_. After that, who knows? Press for the projects I finished last year, but nothing's set in stone yet."

"I'm headed to Montreal for rehearsals - the dance company has a big show in July, and it'll be my first production as both choreographer and principal dancer. I'm very excited about that! You're all invited, by the way. I'd love to see you there!"

Jenny beamed. "I'd love to! I'm so sorry, that's all the time we have - and I know you're both very busy. Thank you so much for making the time!"

Reg took a few more photos, including some with Jenny, Luke, and Nell. I spent a few minutes asking Reg about his camera and software while Luke chatted with Jenny and Lyekka and Nell caught up a bit, then we all shook hands and said goodbye. Time well spent.

Luke turned to me in the lobby. "Drop you off, mate?"

I nodded. "Yes, please, if you don't mind. Lyekka, any stops we need to make on the way home?"

She stifled a yawn and smiled. "Nothing I can think of, love - and it's past my naptime."

\---------------------------------------

Lyekka tore off her jacket and shoes the minute we got home. "I'm for a shower - would you like to join me, Tom?"

"In the middle of the afternoon? Sure, why not?"

She shed her clothes piece by piece on her way to the master bathroom, dropping them on the floor. I followed her, dutifully picking up everything. "Are you okay, Lyekka?"

"Yeah, I'm good. I just need to wind down a bit. That was fun, though - and Luke didn't yell at us once!"

I put her piled clothes on her night table and undressed. "That _was_ fun. Thank you so much, love - I thought it went really well, and I know Luke agrees. You heard him in the car..."

She turned on the shower water jets and poked her head out. "Are you coming? I need your help…"

I rushed into the bathroom. "Of course! What's wrong?"

She gave me a sheepish smile. "I just...my brain feels like a furball. I want to wash this day off me. Please…?"

I gently took her in my arms and kissed her deeply. "Tell me what you need."

She led me into the shower enclosure and stood under the stiffest jet, letting it pound the back of her neck. Smiling, she pointed to the collection of jars and tubes in the alcove. "Help me shed my skin, my love."

I selected one of her favorites, a custom-blended mango peach sugar scrub, and slathered some on a rough hemp mitten. "Turn around, please, m'lady."

I stood between her and the main jet, and held her gently as I drew small circles over her back and shoulders. She sighed happily, relaxing further and further into my arms. 

"Oh gods, Tommy, you're so good at this…"

I reloaded the mitt and sat on my heels to scrub her legs and arse. She moaned and cooed softly, and my soul sang. She had always had an affinity with snakes - several of her tattoos incorporated snakes or dragons, and of course the stud earring I had pierced her with was a gorgeous, tiny steel snake. I was intensely aware of how dear the symbolism of shedding one's skin was to her, and I was always profoundly moved by this act of trust on her part, allowing me, in essence, to transform her. It felt as intimate as our lovemaking.

"My Lyekka...I don't think I've ever loved you more than I do right now…you're so beautiful, it breaks my heart…"

She turned around and hugged me as I rose to my feet. "I'll mend it for you."

I reached for a tube of citrus microdermabrasion face scrub. "Here, wet your face again."

She complied, letting the jet hit her all over. "Y'know, I've always thought it's pretty ironic that a dancer must aspire to the fluidity and power of water - and yet a dancer must also learn to be still, something water never is."

I tenderly rubbed the clay-like gel all over her face, feeling her muscles slacken and relax under my fingertips. "That's the real reason you like your showers so hot, isn't it. To let the water briefly become part of you. To renew yourself."

"You're too perceptive for my own good, sir."

"Ha! Rinse your face, love…"

She turned towards the jets, and scrubbed her face clean of the gel. "Yegods, I feel so much better…!" She faced me again. "Thank you, my Thomas...you take such good care of me…"

I gathered her in my arms and kissed her. "I love to. And you let me. It's very humbling, in a way…"

She smiled up at me, her eyes dancing. "Shall we to our bed? So I can take care of you too…?"

I glanced down at my erect cock, then back at her, returning her grin. "Let's."

"I'll be right there - going to get us something to drink first, is that okay?"

"Of course!"

She turned off the water, quickly dried herself off, and headed downstairs. I wrapped myself in another towel and stretched out on our bed.

"There we are!" 

I stared at her. I'd expected her to bring back the water, but not the vodka bottle fresh out of the freezer, nor the two tall shotglasses. 

"Um, bit early for this, what?"

She deposited the tray on her night table and sat down next to me. "One, no. Two, did you have any plans for the rest of today? Three, you're wearing too much." She tugged on my towel as she spoke, giggling. I grabbed her wrists and pushed her gently onto her back, the towel falling off my hips.

"As a matter of fact, I need to pack. Leaving town day after tomorrow, remember?"

"You have a PA for that - plus I know you, you're going to pack three t-shirts and two pairs each of shorts and trousers and go from there. It's not rocket science, Tom!"

She sat back up and poured two shots, ignoring my weakening protestations, and we toasted each other. I kept quiet, regarding her over the narrow rim of my glass, thinking of all the things about her that I'd miss while I was away working. At least I knew she felt the same about me.

"Drink up, lad, you're not going anywhere else today…!" She snatched my empty glass out of my hand, but instead of pouring the next shot into it, she drank one straight out of the bottle without swallowing. She then sidled up right next to me and kissed me, shooting the still-cold liquid into my mouth. I swallowed reflexively, and let myself drop to the mattress.

"It's like that, is it…?"

She poured two more shots. "It is, sir."

We drank again, then she took my shotglass away, sat across my thighs, and gently threaded her fingers through my hair. "I feel like returning the favor…"

I smiled and closed my eyes while she tenderly massaged my scalp and face. "Ooh, this is wonderful, Lyekka…" My own hands wandered down, first to her knees, up her thighs, then one hand on her arse and the other one cupping her quim. "Is there anything I can do for you…?"

She giggled and shifted on my legs, scooting up just enough to graze my cock with her inner thighs. "Think of something, my Thomas…"

Opening my eyes, I pushed two fingers into her centre, letting her grind on my hand and take her pleasure. "I love to watch you, my Lyekka...you're so sexy…"

"Oooooh…" She straightened up and put a finger on either side of her clit. "Oh yeah...like that...just...like...ooooh...fuck…" She moved her hips back and forth, her juices drenching my hand. She began rubbing herself, then stopped to gaze at me with lust-clouded eyes. "Tom…" She bit her lip. "...please...make me come…"

I removed my hand, gently rolled her onto her back, and kissed my way down her body to her cunt. Her scent made my senses reel. I reached for the still-cold vodka, drank a short shot straight out of the bottle, then dribbled it onto her mound, the cold liquid running down her slit and making her writhe. 

_best damn shot I've ever had to drink_

I ate her out like a starving man, listening to her delicious moans and whimpers. She swiveled her hips against my face ever harder, and I sat back on my heels, picking her up and bringing her along with me. She chuckled and clutched at my arm. 

"Oh fuck, Tommy, you always know what I like…!"

I bit my lip and licked a long line on the inside of her right thigh. "How's this…?" I knelt up, lifting her almost off the bed, her weight on her shoulders. I put one foot on the bed so she could hang on to my leg if she needed to. "Comfy?"

"Just fucking make me come, fiend…! And yes, I'm good."

"Oh yes. Yes, you are. You're better than good - you're perfect." I hiked her up just a bit more, my arms around her thighs, my hands spreading her wide, and plunged my tongue into her center. She couldn't move much, almost standing on her head as she was, but she more than made up for it in loudness, alternately calling and cursing my name. She wrapped one arm around my leg for added support, and let me build up her pleasure for her…

...once…

...twice…

...or maybe it was one continuous orgasm...I adored all the ways her body responded to me, and this was no exception. I was so fucking hard, I was about to lose my mind just as much as she was losing hers. Her breathing slowed down bit by bit. She tapped my calf a couple of times, and I gently laid her back down before wiping my face with a corner of the sheet.

"Heeheeheehee…! Ooooooh, that was so very scrumptious…!" She stretched out a bit and held out her arms. I hugged her to me, rolling my hips to hers, delighting in the touch of her skin against mine, soft and warm…I laced the fingers of one hand with hers, then let go and aimed a bit lower.

"What'll it be then…?" I gently caressed her quim as I spoke. "Does that hungry little cunt of yours want to come lots, or hard?"

She bit her lip and pouted. "Mmmmm...I'll settle for both, but if I have to pick…" She covered my hand with hers and bucked once. "...that first one sounds delicious…"

I rolled her onto her stomach and sneaked two fingers into her folds. She snickered when she felt my hard-on against her lower back.

"You're going to make me beg, aren't you."

"For what…?" I asked innocently.

She wiggled herself around to face me. "You know what I need."

I smiled and cupped her chin in one hand. "I do. But I need to hear you say it."

She reached up to pull me to her, and whispered in my ear. "I'm a whore for your cock, Tom. And I love that."

I replied with a growl. "I do too, Lyekka." I tapped two fingers on her mound. "I think I drank you dry, love - bit of lube…?"

She stretched and bit her lip. "Mmmm...yes, please…"

I quickly retrieved the small bottle from my nightstand, and dribbled two or three small drops onto her quim. "How's this?"

"Oooh...feels cool...wonderful…!"

I gently spread the droplets around with the head of my cock, and barely entered her. She sighed deeply, and closed her eyes. The sensation was intense - I could feel her throbbing, and I wanted to drown in her, but I also wanted to keep my promise to get her off as many times as she could stand it.

"Oh fuck...Lyekka...you're so sensitive…! I love that about you…" I kept pressing against her entrance, and she ground her quim against me, so wet now, not just lube...I pushed myself in a little further, and as soon as I had hit her spot a few times, she came, back arched, throaty cries, so beautiful...I pulled out and watched her until she finally opened her eyes and smiled at me.

"Fuck me up, Tommy...where's that bottle?"

"Ehehehehehehe! Hang on a sec…" I poured two quick shots. "Here…" We drained our glasses and I put them away. "Where was I…?"

She gazed at me with unalloyed lust on her face. "In me...come back, please…"

I kneeled between her knees, elbows on either side of her shoulders, and sank myself into her inch by inch...luscious…

"Fuck, Lyekka...oooooh...you feel amazing, love…"

A few more strokes, and she came again - the entire back half of her cunt squeezing my cock all at once, _fuck,_ as tight as my own hand when I soloed...I pulled out before I came and gazed at her, messy hair, flushed skin, and once again silently thanked the universe for sending her my way…

"Mmmmm, Tom...so goooood...more, please!" She bit her lip and tried to pull me closer, but I sat up and reached for the vodka instead.

"There you go - you _did_ ask me to fuck you up…!"

"I did, didn't I." The shotglass I held out to her became a sudden blur, then empty. I followed suit and snickered.

"You're not allowed to pass out - not yet, anyway…!"

She held out her arms to me, and I embraced her as I slipped back into her, kissing her voraciously. She sank her nails into my arse, spurring me on to fuck her mercilessly, her cries getting louder by the minute. I worked her senseless, changing the depth and speed of my strokes, and she just kept coming and coming…

...I felt her squirt on my cock every time...I lost track of how many times she got off, then I lost track of where I ended and she began, then I lost my mind and lost control…

...she clamped one hand painfully tight on my shoulder and worked her clit furiously with the other, egging me on, and I gingerly reached for the floor with one foot to gain better leverage…

"...Tom...please...fuck me harder, come in me, deep in me...please please please oh Tom _please…"_

"...Lyekka...f-f-f-uck...yes yes oh _yeah_ come, baby, come hard…"

...white light and love and…

_...oh…_

...every nerve, vein and sinew incandescent with pleasure…

_...yes…_

...a perfect moment in time, our eyes locked, almost surprised…

"...oooooh...my Thomas…"

I kissed her tenderly. "I cherish thee…"

I managed to get my leg back up on the bed, and we kissed as we parted, cooing and chuckling. I held her close, and she grinned up at me.

"How do you feel right now, Tom?"

I kissed her and returned her smile. "Like we're one."

She was quiet for a moment, then slowly ran the fingers of one hand through my hair.

"You know, when we're like this, it's almost better than…"

"Than us getting off." I kissed her forehead. "I know how it works...it's all...chemical, hormones and neurotransmitters and such, but it doesn't make it any less real."

She hugged me even tighter. "You're here, my Thomas, my lover, real, flesh and blood in my arms...and I never want to be anywhere else."

"The safest place I've ever been…" I kissed her again, and brushed a stray lock of hair from her eyes. "My Lyekka."

Still smiling, I closed my eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for taking so long. Life interrupted writing. Thanks for hanging with me - the next (and last) chapter is almost done! :)
> 
> Tom mentions piercing Lyekka's ear; it's a scene in [Marked, Chapter 3](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1284022/chapters/2660479).


	9. Twenty More Questions

When I woke up, it was already dark. I found and checked my phone - almost 9 pm. Lyekka was nowhere in sight. _Way to throw off my sleep cycle..._

I put on a pair of shorts and an old t-shirt, and went downstairs. I walked into the kitchen, bleary-eyed and hungover, only to find myself nose to, er, well…

Lyekka was cooking breakfast, wearing nothing but a black sports bra and black lace booty shorts. Eggs, boudin, bacon, toast, potatoes, waffles, the works. It smelled delicious.

"What are you doing…?"

She turned around and smiled brightly. "Oh, you're still with us…! I was done sleeping, so I figured I'd save you some grief and feed you."

I slowly deposited my arse and attached parts on one of the stools at the kitchen bar. "Urgh. Thank you. I'll be awake in…" A steaming cup of black coffee materialized in front of me. "...an hour or so, although this might speed things along a bit. Thank you." I took a sip of coffee and watched as she put the finishing touches on everything and served me a plate.

"There…! Eat what you can, I won't be offended if food puts you off right now - but I was starving, and you know how much I hate cooking for one."

I took a deep breath, followed immediately by a bite of egg and sausage. Scrumptious.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but, um, how long did you sleep? And why aren't you dying?"

She put her plate and a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice down and sat around the bar corner from me. "How's your food?"

I took two more bites. "It's fucking amazing - but please stop fucking with me and answer the question…?"

She dug into her plate first, of course. _I'm not the only little shit around…_ She looked at the wall clock, then at me. "Oh, three hours maybe? And I drank a liter of water before crashing out."

_emphasis on crash…_

"I thought you weren't supposed to cook bacon whilst naked. I'm not sure this - " I waved my fork in her general direction - "this counts as clothes."

She gazed at me sideways. "They're sufficient. And you'll have to finish your plate before you get them off me." She wolfed down a couple more bites, and chuckled. "Do you remember the first night you had me over here for supper?"

"Ehehehe - how could I forget?"

"We ate ice cream topped with fresh-cut fruit, in the very bed that's awaiting us upstairs…"

I put my fork down. "After making love. I remember. I cut the fruit."

She gently squeezed my hand. "Nobody had ever done that for me before." 

I palmed her cheek and returned her smile. "Lucky guess."

"I think about it every time I cook for you." She briefly lowered her gaze. "Is that weird?"

I raised an eyebrow. "No. No, it's not weird." I pulled her to me and kissed her. "It's, um…wonderful." I took her fork from her and laid it across her plate. "You mentioned our bed…"

She picked up the fork, smiling. "I did, didn't I." She took another bite of her food. "Did I mention I was starving…?"

"Yes, you did." I finished my coffee and got up to get a refill. "Well, I'm done...join me when you are…?"

She squinted sideways at me. "Of course."

I took my coffee upstairs, quickly rinsed off in the shower, and brushed my teeth. I heard Lyekka coming up the stairs just as I plopped down on the bed.

"Oh, hey…! Hang on, let me hose myself down too then…" When she came to bed a few minutes later, she smelled like flowers and vanilla and tasted minty fresh. "Is this okay then…?"

We kissed for long minutes, hands wandering all over each other, smiling lips and adroit tongues. "It is", I replied, breaking the kiss. 

She grinned at me and tapped her fingers on my chest. " _I_ have some questions...you up for it?"

I rolled over on my side, propping myself up on one elbow. "Ehehehehe! I didn't realize it was a two-part interview…!"

"Okay, you can ask me stuff too. _Quid pro quo,_ why not?"

"Ehehehehe! Okay, but I get to go first!"

She rolled her eyes and giggled. "Oh, okay, fine…!"

"Rules?"

"Keep it light, and be honest. Go!"

I screwed my face in mock concentration. "Oh, I have one…! Bon Scott or Brian Johnson?"

She stared at me in feigned outrage. "I can't believe you asked me that! That's not even a question. Bon Scott. Next!"

"Ehehehe! Your turn!"

"Hmm. Oh, I know - did you filch my eyeliner that time?"

 _Busted._ My face warm, I tried to defend myself. "Um, that was just the one time. It was an emergency. I put it back…! And how do you even know…??"

"Is that your next question?"

I cracked up. "No, it isn't. Your turn then."

She ran her fingers up my arm. "Do you think anyone has a ship name for us?"

I cringed audibly. "You need to stay the fuck off Tumblr."

"Hahahaha! You mean Tomblr. Answer the question."

I stuck my tongue out. "NO. Does anyone know who you are over there?"

"Yegods no! I've covered my tracks as well as anyone can expect to. YOU, on the other hand, need to continue staying away. I'll give you the short versions. My turn."

"Go ahead."

"Do you think tomato sauce is an ingredient in a proper margharita pizza?"

"Of course it is."

She kissed me. "Correct answer. Go!"

"Why do you even know German?"

She giggled. "I took materials science classes at uni, and all the chemistry majors have to learn German because all the heavy duty next-level chemistry papers are in German. If it's good enough for the chem geeks, it's good enough for me."

I pulled her to me with a hand across her lower back. "You are hereby certified to be stark raving insane."

She kissed me again, and my cock twitched. "That's not nice…although I _am_ mad about you, Tom…" She looked down briefly. "But _that_ is very nice…!"

"Hmm. Thank you. Ask your question, love."

She tugged distractedly at her lower lip. "Let's see...oh!"

"What?"

"Your eyes are the exact same colour as mine right now. I could drown…"

"Ehehehe! Now you know how it feels to look into yours. Because I do drown. Every time." I booped her nose. "Ask your question."

"If you could swap bodies with me for a day, would you?"

I thought about it for a few seconds. "Would there be sex? Then yes. We wouldn't even leave the bedroom."

She rolled over onto her stomach and raised herself on her elbows. "HAHAHAHAHAHA! Great answer! Your turn!"

"Let's see…" I ran my fingers across her back very lightly. "Tell me something you like about me that you've never told me."

"Fishing…?"

"Maybe a little."

"Hmm." She faced me, lying on her side, and caressed my lower lip with her thumb. "You know how your lip pulls a little sometimes?"

I sighed. "Yeah. Nerve damage. Why?"

She bit her own lip and chuckled. "It does it most on your Ls. And my name starts with L. I happen to think it's wonderful."

I pulled her closer and kissed her. "That's a very nice thing to say, Lyekka. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Tom. My turn - same question."

"Wow! Okay, let me think...there's way more than one…" My mind ran through an amazingly long list at lightning speed. "Alright - that little noise you make when you're deep in thought and you suck on your teeth. You sneer and squeak at the same time, it's hilarious - and very endearing."

"Aw, thanks! I can't say I notice when I do it. I'm glad you don't mind. Your turn."

I had my question ready. "What's one of your favorite memories of us?"

"Whoa, there's like a million…! Um, remember the night we got in the car after supper just to drive around and ended up at the outskirts of Heathrow on Stanwell Moor Road for no fucking reason?"

"Ehehehehehe! We found a place to park and lay on the bonnet and watched the planes take off and land what seemed like inches from our heads until the airport shut down…"

"Yeah. I absolutely adored that. We should do that again - pick another airport sometime when we're both in town but somewhere else…"

I hugged her close. "We should. That was a marvelous night."

She wrapped her arms around my waist. "And yours…?"

"Hmm. The first time we danced in the studio together. It was also the first time I really understood what you do. And you were patient, funny, knowledgeable, intense, so unbelievably strong physically...you didn't raise your voice once…"

"To be fair, you nailed the routine pretty quickly. I had a good time too - otherwise, we wouldn't have done that again…!"

My hands wandered to her bum, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Your turn."

She frowned. "Wait, no, I think I got an extra one. Pass."

"Really? Oh, okay…" I grimaced, then caught myself when she gave me a raspberry. "EHEHEHE! Will you still love me when I've lost all my hair? Beatles song…"

She squealed and flailed. "Of course!! Don't be daft! I already have a pretty good idea what you're going to look like, and I like it. My turn. You DO know that they make those white v-neck t-shirts in "long", right?" 

I made a face at her and said nothing. I never saw the pillow coming.

"Oh GODS, you ARE doing it on purpose…! I swear, if I have to look at one more photo of you waving at people and see your happy trail, I'll...just keep screaming, I guess…!"

I ripped the pillow out of her hands and threw it across the bed, grabbed her, and tossed her on top of it, then wedged myself between her knees so she couldn't close her legs. I reached down, squeezed my cock, and thrust my hips at her. "Feel free to start screaming now, love…!"

"Give me a good reason, Tommy!"

I cupped her quim with one hand, slipping a finger into her folds. "Enough questions. I want to play _this_ game."

"What's your pleasure…?"

I smiled, somewhat shyly. "Um, I want to try something...is that okay?"

She gently mussed my hair. "Of course! What is it?"

"Something I've been um sort of practicing." _Why must I blush so easily…?_ "I want to see if I can come more than once with you."

She pulled me to her and kissed me deeply. "Show me."

"Really? Okay. Give me a minute. I have to, er, gather myself a bit. It's tricky, and the timing's important."

I sat up, breathing deeply, pushing air all the way out until I could feel my scrotum rise just a bit. Lyekka gazed at me intently.

"What do I need to do…?"

"Just...try not to come. I'll lose it if you do."

She stretched and smiled. "Okay."

The technique was simple...on paper. Practicing involved focused masturbation - getting close to release, then contracting my pelvic floor muscles for a count of ten, relax for a minute or two, then getting a bit closer, contract muscles, and so on, until I was ready to come. It required close attention not only to my body, but also to my emotional state, and timing was everything. The trick was to contract the relevant muscles right before the point of orgasm, avoiding both ejaculation and refractory period. 

"I, um, you know how excited I get", I said, almost apologetically. 

"Take your time, love."

I entered her gently and began thrusting slowly, pacing myself, forcing my attention on myself instead of Lyekka. She placed her hands on my shoulders and watched me, her breathing speeding up as I did...until I pulled out with a groan and sat up for a few moments.

"Oh fuck, you feel so good…" I caught my own breath and slipped into her wetness, her hidden spot literally knotting up over the head of my cock...I slowed down, speeded up, managing to nail the timing each time, until the light built up behind my eyes, almost there...one...more...contraction…

 _oh fuck fuck fuck_

Desperately wanting, _needing_ to stay inside her…

_oh yeah fuck YES_

The sensations were intense and exquisite, starting at my groin and spreading throughout my body to my extremities; first, a slow, luscious wave of heat, then immediately after, an odd sort of almost vibration, then…

...lightning bolts coursing through every nerve, my mouth wide open, my jaw straining, eyes rolling back…

...and I came back to earth to my smiling lover, her hands gently tangled in my hair…

"Oh gods, Tom…! Did you...did you just come without shooting??"

I chuckled softly, still a bit out of breath. "Yeah...yeah, I did…! I, um, I wasn't sure it'd work, with you, I mean - you're considerably more stimulating than my hand!"

She shifted a little, amazed. "Oh fuck, Tommy, you're still hard as nails…!" She tightened her inner muscles, making small aftershocks tickle my groin.

"Whoa. Please don't...um, give me another minute…"

She ignored me and dug her nails into my arse. "That was the hottest thing _ever._ Please don't make me wait…?"

"I won't last long…"

"I don't care."

I felt insanely aroused, my skin buzzing. She pulled me in deeper and harder, and I finally pinned her arms over her head and rammed into her out of control, her cries of lust mixed in with my own grunts...

...she whispered breathlessly into my mouth…"Tommy...I'm _so_ close…"

I let go of her hands and gathered her up to me in one smooth motion, thrusting deep inside her, hands grabbing everywhere, her eyes on me _oh gods she loves me so much…_

"Lyekka...I'm comiiiiiiiiiing…"

"Me too, Tom...come hard for me…"

I emptied myself into her, her walls spasming rhythmically as she came on my cock a second later, a maelstrom of pleasure and love…

"Ooooooooh...Lyekka…"

"...my Thomas…" 

We rolled together onto our sides, giggling now, this blessed intimacy the source of so much happiness…

"I'm sorry, love, I have to…" I pulled out of her and lay flat on my back, eyes wide, unable to stop giggling. I reached for and found her hand and placed it on my chest. 

"Fuck, Tom, that was wonderful! I can't even…!"

"Ehehehehe! Nor I, Lyekka…! You're _so_ good…"

She stretched luxuriously and raised herself on one elbow. "Guess this is going to have to count for our anniversary, huh…"

I turned to her. "Um, ever been to Spain? Why don't you come visit me in Mallorca for a couple of days?"

"What, on set?"

I smiled. "Why not? Or, you know, around the set. I don't work 24 hours a day when I'm working!"

She pondered that for a moment. "I'd like to, it sounds like fun, but I don't want to get in the way…"

I caressed her cheek. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you, but um it hasn't really come up until now…"

"What?"

"I had my agent add a clause to all my contracts a few months ago. A visitation clause." She said nothing, but her eyes widened. "So um basically you can come visit me when I'm working. As long as it's not disruptive, you understand. And I'll need 48 hours' notice, but…"

She put her hands to my face and kissed me fiercely. "I love you so much right now, my Thomas…"

I returned the kiss and smiled. "I have one more question for you, Lyekka…"

"Shoot."

"Do you mind if I wear the ring when you're not around?"

She was quiet for a moment. "No, of course not! Just as long as you realize the first time someone sees you with it and I'm nowhere in sight, everyone is going to jump your shit."

"There's an easy fix for that, you know…"

She sighed almost imperceptibly. "It would only make things worse, trust me on this. We're not getting married."

I smiled. "Do you mind if I keep asking?"

She returned the grin and pulled me closer. "No." We kissed, and she bit her lip and giggled softly. "You do know that all Mallorcan beaches are topless, right?"

_Oh boy._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for hanging with me, reading, and leaving kudos and comments. I love you all. :)


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